Yoda. Wise Jedi Master. The Jedi Master. A being who has moved many of us with his knowledge, insight, humor, and strength. His scenes in The Empire Strikes Back always get me... they're some of my favorite in the Saga. So magical, intense... so true.

"You must unlearn what you have learned."

Got it.

"Try not. Do, or do not... there is no try."

You bet. I get that.

But fast forward to Revenge Of The Sith (or rewind, I guess), and we hear this...

"Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."

You know what, Master Yoda... I really disagree with you on this one.


How is it possible to live like that? Are they bricks? I know that Yoda was speaking to Anakin regarding his premonitions... his nightmares, and it's a part of the Jedi line of thinking, the Jedi Way. But honestly... who could live like that? It is so impossible, this line of thought, this belief. I don't understand why this was ever implemented... who's idea was this? How were the Jedi supposed to protect the people they were assigned to protect, be it one person, several, or an entire system or two with no regards or thought of attachment to anything? It just doesn't make sense. And in the end, it was Anakin's downfall.

I know that attachment was forbidden, and especially love. But how can you justify taking an oath and living in a way where the fear of losing all you care about isn't there? Maybe there is something pure to all of this... that you can go about your life freely and not have to worry about losing the things and people that you love. But it really makes me wonder about the Jedi Order. If the Jedi really believed that they were doing the right thing and didn't want to lose their ability to promote and serve democracy, then how could they truly carry on with their duties to the best of their abilities? With all of their resources? How was Anakin supposed to let go, when so much was on the line... he was the "Chosen One"... the Chosen One is not supposed to fear losing anything? Okay.

How can you train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose, when one of the things you would fear losing would be the Jedi Order itself? Or the Republic? So, you just protect people in a democracy that you want to see thrive, but... you have trained yourself to let go of losing it? What??

I can't live that way. I guess I would have been an awful Jedi. It seems that the Jedi didn't really want to feel ...alive. How ironic.

Anakin didn't train himself to let go. How could he. And as a result, he did everything he could to keep Padme' from dying. Or I should say, his mother from dying. Again.

It's my belief that Padme' really could have been anyone. Anyone close to Anakin, anyone important enough whose nearness affected him so much that he would attach all of the hatred, fear, and especially... the guilt of his mother dying to at the thought of losing. I think that we all have a Padme' in our lives... that one person, place, or even thing that we would competely flip out over (and Anakin DID flip out) at the thought or real possibility of losing.

I cannot go through my life not fearing the loss of everything I care about. Everything is a pretty big, all inclusive word. I refuse to live by that thought.... the notion that it's better to detach yourself from all you fear to lose, so you can just leisurely go on without all of the fuss. Emo-casual doesn't so it for me. Sure, there's all the side-effects, like being emotionally crushed occasionally, self-hatred, and overwhelming doubt.... but without feeling all of the bad things, you can never see or feel the great things. One of those great things being, to me at least, the realization that I have overcome feeling emotionally crushed occasionally, self-hatred, and overwhelming doubt.

Yoda, respectfully disagree with you, I must. And I must question you on something...

Why did you allow Anakin to create a Hell for himself?

It really caused nothing but trouble. But then again, I guess you already knew that.