The first time I saw Star Wars was at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
(Sorry, this was not the "first time" you were expecting. A cheap trick on my part, to be sure. :-)
I will never forget watching the very beginning of the film on the theater’s huge screen… the camera panning down to dramatically reveal the desert planet of Tatooine; and then – most amazing of all – the Empire’s huge Star Destroyer entering from the top of the screen with its lasers firing and the ship's enormous blue engines roaring into view so loudly that the entire theater shook. (Click here to watch the opening scene of Star Wars, particularly the first 2 1/2 minutes. It's still great to watch, even on an iPhone!)
It’s been almost 40 years since that day and I still remember the gasps from the audience at that moment. None of us had ever seen anything like it, and it was absolutely thrilling.
It made me think how rarely these days I feel that sense of radical amazement the way I did that night. What's the deal? Is life itself less exciting, less filled with wonder now as compared to then, or - more likely - has something changed in me? Have I allowed routine to fill up much of my days? Am I seeking out great and novel experiences with the same energy that I used to?
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk was once asked by his students "Where does God exist?" He answered, “God exists wherever we create a place for God to exist in our lives.”
Might not the same apply to wonder and amazement? Are wondrous things not ever-present in our lives in countless ways? A crescent moon in beautiful night sky. The scent of a flower. The sounds of the sea. A beating heart. A baby's smile. A loving embrace. Our challenge is to recognize and appreciate the myriad wonders that are all around us.
Fortunately, we don't have to wait for George Lucas – or anyone else – to do this for us. We can... and should... and must... do this for ourselves every day.
What are some of the things – both big and small – that create a sense of joy and amazement in your life?
May the Force be with you.
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