It took me a while to figure out what the phrase meant, "to not see the forest for the trees". I know what it means now, but for a while I wondered what it really meant. I thought, isn't the forest just the trees? How can I be looking for something else? What am I not picturing here? Then it dawned on me one day ... the forest is a place full of much more than trees. It's animals, it's plant life, it's soil, it's insects, it's streams, it's fallen trees, it's massive trees, it's fresh air, it's mystery. It's life.

And I think many of us look at it from the outside as just trees and a place we might not want to venture for the risks it holds. But the risks are what make it exciting and full of adventure ... much like life can be. Therein lies the forest.

And of course, the above phrase can be applied to many times and experiences in life, I would just like to look at the literal forest in this case, and life in general.

And I think of life in Star Wars when I think of this analogy as well. The Force, to me, is kind of like a forest. There is much hidden in it that people, be they Force-sensitive or not, do not always see. Take Luke for instance. Up until he was introduced to the Force by Obi-Wan, its mysteries and power remained hidden to him even though it was always there. He hadn't tapped into his potential as a Jedi because he hadn't tapped into the life of the Force. But once he did, it opened up a whole new world for him and taught him things he never thought imaginable and he discovered a vast power within himself that would see him become one of the greatest Jedi ever. He took a risk and it paid off.

And also take Anakin. He, too, didn't know of his potential for all that great power and it remained hidden to him until Qui-Gon showed him a new way. He knew of the Jedi, but they were like trees to him ... he couldn't see beyond what limited knowledge he knew about them to really understand the vast life of the Force. Things opened up for him also, but he was also goaded on by his fear of what he found. He saw more of the forest, but he was afraid of what it showed him. He wasn't willing to take the risks of entering the forest of the Force completely without his protection of his own emotions. Much like Luke on Dagobah at the dark cave ... but Luke quickly realized the error of his ways.

And what it teaches me is that we shouldn't be afraid to see new things within the forest and within the forest of our lives. There is much beauty around us to behold and to revel in its energy and life ... much like the Force. The things that sometimes remain hidden to us from within are our own talents, our own strengths and our own ability to become who we want and need to be. Sometimes we need to quiet the thoughts in our minds to recognize what it is that gives us strength, just as Obi-Wan and Yoda instructed Luke. But once we see things that were previously hidden, it's as if a light has shone through the darkest and most dense spot in the forest. I know there are always things going on in my life that give me stress, that give me clutter in my mind, much as there is a lot going on in a forest. But if I don't take the time to see those things, rather than block them out with just the trees, it's as if there is less life going on. I don't really see the forest, my life, for the trees.

I think it's rather poignant that some significant things happened in Star Wars, which are based in or around forests. Yavin 4 was a forested place where the Rebels made their base, made their stand against the Empire and destroyed the Death Star. The energy and life that they poured into their cause truly gave life to that forest and helped to hinder the Empire. Dagobah was pretty significant for Yoda and Luke. What a great place for Yoda to grow even more powerful in the Force and for Luke to really tap into his potential. So much life within the trees there gave him the raw power to uncover all that was hidden to him. And of course Endor was the scene of complete destruction of the Empire ... so much life that was roused into action to assist in toppling Palpatine that no one knew was hiding there.

I really believe that many of our lives are like forests. That there are a multitude of things within our lives that give us strength and breathe life into what sometimes just seems like trees holding things up. And those things remain hidden unless we really look. Sometimes we need help looking just as Obi-Wan helped Luke see the many things the Force had to offer that were always there. But just as in life, know that when you walk into the forest, you really can see much more than the trees.