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Beards: They grow on you. |
"We did something this year that has tilted the Lewis world on its axis. We introduced our children to Star Wars. Life will never be the same again.
"We used to have regular conversations at the dinner table. Now they all involve distant galaxies, strange ships and names that involve a lot of Fett and Sith and Darth. We used to come home from the library with heaps of classics. Now it’s all 'Clone Wars' and 'Anakin Rises Again.'
"What astonishes me most is the urgency of this story, the need for them to connect it all in their heads. My 9-year-old calls to me after I’ve put him to bed. 'Mom, Mom!' He is frantic. I run in and kneel by his bed. 'What is it?' 'Would you rather live on Cloud City or Alderaan?' he asks. I slow my breathing. 'Go to bed,' I tell him.
"I sat my kids down to dinner the other night, intent on having a real conversation, the kind that happened B.S.W. — Before Star Wars. 'We’re studying the prophet Lorenzo Snow in Relief Society,' I tell them. 'He lived on a farm, and because his dad was gone so often, he had to do all the work. Can you imagine?' Their interest is piqued. 'He lived during the time of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young,' I continue. They are listening. This is going to be a great discussion. We’re going to talk about hard work and conversion and the powerful choices you can make at a young age. There is a pause. My 7-year-old pipes up: 'So if Lorenzo Snow lived that long ago, I guess he wouldn’t have known George Lucas?' You see what I’m up against here."
I love it! I think I would have followed up with, "No, but as a farmer, he definitely would have known Luke Skywalker." Thanks for the great article, Tiffany!