We crawled slowly down the interstate on our way to see the Christmas lights. It was a Friday and it seemed like everyone had decided on the same thing. The interstate was like a bee's nest -- cars flying this way and that way. As we came to one of the countless overpasses, We saw a billboard bestowing wise advice from the Star Wars universe.
"Texting and Driving Leads to the Dark Side." According to Fox13 News , the Utah Department of Transportation posted not only this but several other words of advice from the "Star Wars" universe. And it sounds like Utah wasn't the only one.
The T-shirts. The countless Pinterest quotes. The road-signs. The YouTube videos and pages of theories. The long lines to see the film. To put it simply, "Star Wars" has captured the heart of society.
But why?
Of course, there is the fantastical aspect of it. A distant galaxy, where inter-planet travel is a normal part of life. There are the light-saber wielding Jedi's whose powers are extremely enviable. You get to meet different species like Yoda, see the stars and be part of the galaxy far, far away.
But I think there is more to it. Something that tugs at our heartstrings -- that very human side of us. There is something that longs for us to be more than what we are. We want to be daring heroes and heroines, racing off to save the galaxy. We want to do something that saves the world and the galaxy.
And then the characters become more than just characters to us. In a way, they are like those long-lost friends we haven't seen in ages. They became people that we could relate with and understand. With Finn, we saw a man with an absent past who was trying to rewrite his future. Leia and Han are parents who long for the return of a lost child. And then there is Jar-Jar who, despite the teasing, is oddly reminiscent of that high-school outcast who just wants to do the right thing.
It's a show about real people with real problems. Ever been tempted to do something you know to be wrong? Look at what happened to Anakin -- one slippery step led to another. Or the amazing Poe, who fought back, again and again, and never gave up. Or Finn, who, unlike Anakin, did what he knew to be right. His simple choice led to other good things. He never would have met Rey or Han if he hadn't stuck to his gut-feeling.
Despite the years we've waited for the return of "Star Wars," it never really left us. From the first premiere, "Star Wars" found its way into the life of its viewers. It became more than just a movie series to countless people throughout this world. It became a part of us, with its lovable characters, battles of good versus evil and life-lessons. There are not many things that are able to do that.
