It was the MOST influential scene in Movie History - at least to an eight-year-old boy. Luke feels it, the dark, the mysterious cave that pulled him in. Seeking something, a feeling, a presence, a truth maybe? And in 1980 it was a young boy trying to understand the darkness that had already embraced his spirit and taken such a deep hold.
But I didn’t put it together until years later.
The scene - Luke Skywalker (come on people, how can you live a life without Star Wars?) has passed the first hurdle in his haphazard quest to become a Jedi Knight and finds himself on the murky swamp planet Dagobah. Training wasn’t what he thought it would be. Not quite the “wax on, wax off” of Karate Kid, but definitely not sitting in some temple playing with laser swords and meditating on inner peace. It was brutal. Physical. Emotionally and Spiritually draining with a small muppet-sized mentor riding his back (literally) and barking out the next focus.
And it was me. Still is. I’m there.
I won’t spoil it. But Luke has to face his past. His truths. And until he does there can be no peace. The battle is one from within, not just standing in front of Darth Vader (Dark Father - really Lucas?!). And the one thing I’ve continually been told over the last few days, months even - is to stand.
These aren’t just words anymore. I am going to place myself in the path of the one who changed my life the most. Who set me on the path to a life filled with doubt and shame. And I’m also going to Stand, somehow and finally see who I’m really fighting. Me. Because from this point on, whether I get a face-to-face with Lee or not, I am taking back my life.
So I’m calling you out one more time. I will NOT move forward until I’ve at least entered the cave. Opened up the dark and shed some light on it.
Then… who the hell knows? Maybe I’ll become the next Dread Pirate Roberts?
Or maybe… just maybe…
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