May the 4th Be with You – A continuing journey

5/4/2026

12:00 pm

Today is May the 4^th, and the unofficial international Star Wars day.  My all-time favorite movie.

**Note: All images were screenshot or downloaded from IMBD, Disney+, and Google image, artist acknowledgments obtained through AI and Google Search

I posted an article about the Star Wars movies and how it has become a family tradition of sorts on May 4^th, 2021, titled “May the 4^th Be with You – A journey of 40 years”. I then reposted it last May as well.

In other blog posts, I often explain how this movie’s influence shaped my whole future and career in the military when I joined the Air Force.

Today, I am writing something new about this continuing journey into this fictional universe.

We as a family are still interested in the characters and the different story lines developed around them.

I personally only signed up for the Disney+ streaming service just to see the series, additional movies about certain characters, and anything new related to this ever-expanding universe of lore.

I look forward to the upcoming movies “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Star Wars: Starfighter”.

I have been trying to catch up with the current series on the streaming service before the movie premiere of “The Mandalorian and Grogu”.  My eldest child and I have frequent discussions about the series while they catch up on it too.

The other series and movies that I watched continued the backstory of the ever-fearless Obi-Wan Kenobi and Han Solo.

The only series that has been hard to watch has been “Andor”. Knowing the fates of some of the characters that were introduced in “Rogue One” and its ties to the original “Star Wars”.

In the previous blog post about today’s date, I wrote about the emotions that were felt after not only watching Rogue One with my grown kids, but also the death of the actress Carrie Fisher the very next day. The day we lost Princess Leia. I still get kind of weepy thinking about it. 

No amount of AI or digital imaging magic can ever replace the actors, actresses, or the people who created this universe.

They started this move forward in capturing our attention in the way we see and the emotions we feel about the movies in those darkly lit cinemas. The expectations we now have about what we want to experience have been forever changed. They created this universe with hard work, ideas, ingenuity, drive, and their own two hands.

No computer can ever replace that, humanity. 

As I continue onward in my Star Wars Universe journey, I continually discover characters from long-forgotten comic books, animated series, novelizations, fan fiction, and the ever-expanding storyline ties to the beginning.  It is sometimes overwhelming.

I recently turned 55 and next year is the official 50^thanniversary of the original Star Wars movie on May 25^th, 2027. They will be releasing a restored version of the original in theaters on February 19, 2027.  I will definitely be attending when it comes out.

When I discuss Star Wars with others, there are generally two different reactions: those who get it and those who know it is a movie.

I am from a generation that believed that anything was possible, but only if you believed in it.  We also grew up being told to question everything, to be skeptical of others, and not to be too trusting. This attitude caused us to be fiercely independent and self-reliant.  That is a Gen X’er.  This same generation was the transition point from analog to digital.

There was no online chat or readily available service to call, plus we never paid for things to be fixed.  We would pull out that huge paper manual and figure it out.  If we couldn’t do it, we always knew somebody who could.

It is this same generation that helped fuel those ideas of making the things we saw in the movies become reality.  Looking back at it now with these older eyes, I can see how far we have come. We have gained so much but have also lost a lot by not holding onto some things.  Things like expressing creativity openly, seeking knowledge, asking questions, and learning basic life skills.

Technology and innovation has its advantages, but then you have to see what the disadvantages are too.  It is always so fascinating when something new shows up to help make our lives “easier” or “convenient”.

I digressed slightly from my main topic.

There have been many impactful moments that have shaped us all. Movies, music, and television have had the greatest influence on most of us.  It has provided us a window to see the possibilities, dream about the future, and create what we envision.

For my family, this movie universe has not only brought us together in moments of grief but also in moments to celebrate.

As of this writing, the kids I wrote about before are all grown-up now, living their lives. 

My oldest kid is working to become an established artist, using those math and physics skills to not only create beautiful art but also create and hold workshops to teach others.

The second-oldest kid is almost finished with their doctorate program in biological science, involved in organizations to help other indigenous students in the STEM field, and also took up running long distances.

The third kid is now in a research department, utilizing that dual degree in botany and ecology while also discovering their creative side involving art.

The youngest is working towards completing a degree to use in the field of art in fashion, photography, and creative design.

As a continuing and long-time Star Wars fan raising other fans of this body of work, I want to wish you all a great week.

May the 4^th Be with You!

Thanks for stopping by and supporting this blog.

Have a wonderful day!

Peace, love, happiness, and good vibes, always!

Suzanne