I know how this sounds, but before you give me a hard time, Star Wars isn’t just for nerds anymore! Some readers will rake me over the coals for even implying a single negative thing about the movies or their fans, but I’m talking to the moms out there who, like me prior to meeting my husband, may have never seen a single Star Wars film. Now, I can practically quote the movies!
When we first met, my husband wasn’t exactly out and proud of his Star Wars obsession. It wasn’t until I met his family that the truth was revealed. He convinced me to watch the movies and while I did it just to appease him, I started to get into them myself! I vetoed the new baby’s nursery being decorated in a Star Wars theme, but my son’s room and the basement are essentially shrines to the films. Sound familiar, anyone?
There are three specific ways Star Wars actually continues to strengthen our relationship:
- It gives us an excuse to travel. My husband’s schedule is absolutely crazy. He works constantly, but he will find a way to take time off for big opportunities involving Star Wars. And I don’t mean waiting in line overnight to get movie tickets…I mean meeting Mark Hamill! We flew to Los Angeles to have dinner with Luke Skywalker himself, and flew back to L.A. for the premier of The Last Jedi. We got to see the entire cast and a slew of other celebrities. (In truth, I was more star-struck by the other celebrities, but I never would have gotten to see them had it not been for The Last Jedi premier!)
- It’s fun to share the characters with our son. We have a seemingly-endless supply of books, movies, and memorabilia to share with him (that were taking over our basement, anyway). This is a story line that has been an important part of my husband’s life for years. It has become a part of mine for quite some time now, so handing it down to our son floods us with nostalgia…the same way I imagine other parents feel when their children follow in their footsteps in one way or another.
- The story lines espouse important life lessons. Admittedly, this may come off cheesy, but we all need reminders every now and then of the things that really matter. The Star Wars saga is heavy on the messages of loyalty toward family and friends; facing your fears; and that it’s never too late to do the right thing. These are good reminders to us as adults. And they’re also great reinforcements of the values we’re trying to instill in our son.
Sometimes showing interest in the things our partners care about leads to unexpected places. This May the 4th, dig a little deeper into your significant other’s hobbies. (I’ll forgive you if they aren’t Star Wars related.) You never know what you’ll gain in the process, or how it will bring the two of you closer together.
