Lesson From The Last Jedi

There are recliners now in movie theaters! Who knew? Obviously, I didn't. I'm not sure of the exact year that I last stepped foot into a movie theater, but I can assure you that it was prior to everyone getting their own recliner! It was really nice. I may go again this weekend.

We were all together this year for Christmas. Big Tuck had some time off and was around the house. And the children (Tuck's word, not mine. Funny though!) were in town from Knoxville. Other than me having to sabotage one afternoon with some hardline views, we had a really nice visit. I made my amends and learned my lesson well.

On Saturday evening, we watched whatever Star Wars episode precedes Disney's current release in order to refresh our memories, before attending The Last Jedi on Sunday. Call me crazy. But I'm pretty sure it was just a "do over" of the Original Star Wars I saw as a kid, which I think was Episode IV. Kind of gives me ice cream head trying to keep them straight.

Anyway.....I will offer no spoilers or ruin your movie watching experience (did I mention the recliners?) But, I need to address a couple of lines from this flick that have been consuming my thoughts since we left the comfy confines of those recliners.

I don't even remember the girl's character name. I do remember she was talking to Finn. I do recall she was on the good guys' team (The Resistance) and I do know they were speaking of the incalculable odds they were facing against the bad guys (The First Order).

That's when this little pearl slipped out:

"That's how we're gonna win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love."

Talk about thunderbolt and lightning! My very first thought was "Crap! I'm gonna have to dust off Cheaper Than Therapy and write about this." My second thought was "Crap! I'm gonna have to try and implement this mindset into my pathetic attempts to survive in this crazy, fallen world!"

I am NOT going to enumerate the dozens and dozens of examples of "fighting what we hate" that we are bombarded with each and every day. One of my sincerest goals with this little experiment is to try and encourage my tens of readers to think. So, you can come up with your own.

But the whole notion of "saving what we love" is raises big questions and even bigger challenges. I can promise you it is WAY, WAY harder than "fighting what we hate." The task is frustrating. It is difficult. And above all, it is going to be simply exhausting! But I believe it to be worth it. And I believe the fruit from this effort to be so much more rewarding!

Now, don't you all wish (as do I) that we had gone into see Pitch Perfect 3?

Happy New Year!