The Way of the Jedi

A Jedi always has his friend's back

My 5 year old niece was starting to get into the Star Wars universe. Her parents showed her The Phantom Menance, The Attack of the Clones, and A New Hope. She has been reading words since she was 3 or 4, so the precocious imp was reading Star Wars for beginning readers. We were settling in her tree house to read some Star Wars when she looked at me in all seriousness. “Tia Maria, I do not want to go to the Dark Side.” “Why are you worried about going to the Dark Side?” I asked. “Anakin was a good boy but some how he went to the Dark Side and he became Darth Vader.”

Knowing the few movies that she had seen, I went this route. “Let's think about a few things. Anakin left his Mom to become a Jedi, so he did not have his Mom around to guide him and to give him advice. Anakin had two very different friendships one with Obi-Wan Kenobi, who became his main teacher and one with Senator Palpatine. Obi-Wan would talk to Anakin about patience and perseverance as being the way of the Jedi. Palpatine would twists words or says things that were slightly true, but not completely true. Anakin would end up confused and angry after having talked to Palpatine. Now, Palpatine is part of the Dark Side of the Force, the side that feeds off of anger, hatred and fear and Obi-Wan is part of the Light Side of the Force that focuses on patience, perseverance and self-sacrifice. If you do not wish to go to the Dark Side then you must surround yourself with friends that are like Obi-Wan. Now you have Mommy and Daddy, your grandparents, your uncle and myself to help you choose the Light Side, do you have any other friends that can help you?” She thought a bit and then her face lit up. “Yes. Jesus!” I agreed. “He is the best friend to have to keep you from the Dark Side.” and then I went on “For He is the Way and the Truth and the Light.” “He is the Light Side!” She crowed. “Well done, Padawan, well done.”