As I sat and thought about this entry, I tried to imagine that the Force was an energy field that was defined as easily as flicking a light switch. In any given time you can create light or dark depending on if you turn the light on or off in a room (and also that there are no outside influences such as a window and it's daytime). But from a pure theoretical standpoint, you can choose to create light or dark.

And I wonder if that is how it is for Force-sensitives ... can they switch themselves to whatever path they feel like switching to? Is it as easy as switching a light on or off as to which "side" of the Force one will dabble in? Or is there no separate sides of the Force? Is it up to the individual and their character that will decide which path they will travel?

I think that the Force is like the energy that supplies the light switch. It gives the power to not only the switch, but to the person who chooses to live in darkness or in light. It doesn't govern the emotions or the decisions of the person, it only offers the choice between two states of living ... in light or dark. It doesn't tell the person to love or to hate, it only gives them the opportunity to see what their actions result in ... or not. If they choose to not turn on the light and live in darkness then they cannot see what their actions have brought about. They are blinded by their choice and can only move about by waving their arms around in search of something, or in protection of themselves.

And I see Anakin as a confused individual who kept flicking the switch on and off. He wanted to see what was ahead of him and protect himself, but he also wanted to live in darkness ... to avoid the things he could not change, and eventually reside in the dark so no one could see what he had done, including himself. The dark room gave him the opportunity to do as he pleased without notice and without anyone knowing it was him ... no one knew it was Anakin behind the mask. He eventually was able to switch the light back on at the same time as removing his mask so he could see, and so others could see him. The light filled his room and allowed him to see so much more, showing him the way to the path he was destined to take.

Even Luke flicked the switch on the wall that illuminated and darkened the room for him. As he fought Vader and was taunted by him, he turned the light off for a moment to be consumed by the confusing and paranoid dark. He lashed out at Vader to strike him down and protect himself (and his family) from the shadows and creatures that lurked in the dark room. He fought with emotion and anger that only flailing about in a dark room in confusion and protection can bring about. Imagine what you would do in a dark room in which you could hear voices threatening you and your family ... how would you react?
But Luke was able to switch the light back on when he found the switch. He opened the lights and saw what he had done in the dark and what he was capable of if he allowed himself to be sucked in to the paranoia of the dark room. And he didn't want that. He wanted the protection of knowing where the switch was at all times ... to have the choice to live in the light.

And that is what I believe the Force offers. It has the power to give an individual the ability to do amazing things with it ... but it all starts with finding the switch.

And look at Sidious. He seems to have lived his entire existence in darkness. The power is absolutely there in him, just as the power exists in a light switch, even when it is turned off. He learned how to harness the power that was sitting at his fingertips waiting to emerge into the light ... he controlled his own dark room to the point of inviting others in to sit in the dark with him. And residing in the dark room would eventually be his undoing ... as he could not see what the others were doing around him. He thought he knew, but he was left blind to what was happening until his switch was flicked for him.

So indeed the Force is an energy field as Ben described it to Luke. But to take it further, it's energy is always at the ready to a Jedi or Sith ... it just depends on if they want to switch it on and live in the light and see its good works. Or leave the switch off and just feel the power crackling around them.

The Force doesn't know good or bad, light or dark, love or hate. It only knows the energy it supplies the Force-user. And it's up to each person to decide if their path is in darkness or light.