Before I jump right into the awesomeness of Star Wars and how it relates to adoption, I first want to gush about George Lucas. Did you know three of his children were adopted? I’m not sure if that had any impact on how any of the plot played out and why he went about things the way he did but maybe, just maybe he was trying to bring a smidgen of awareness in his own way.
Now on to the things I think Star Wars tried to teach us about adoption or how it related to adoption.
A little disclaimer: I feel that some of the things it taught weren’t true or positive.
First: There will forever be that unspoken bond between birth siblings. Before it was confirmed that Luke and Leia were twins, Luke had a distinct feeling that they were brother and sister. I’ve seen this pull between LT and his half sibling. Even though they aren’t being raised together, they seem to be drawn to each other.
Second: Occasionally, closed adoption is for the best. And here’s the thing I warned you about! With Anakin having fallen to the dark side, I feel the film supported negative thinking about birth families and it honestly bummed me out to think about. Surely this wasn’t what George Lucas had in mind . . . right? On the other hand, there are occasional circumstances in which children were removed from parents because they posed a threat to the health and well-being of the child. In those extreme circumstances, a lack of contact is in everyone’s best interests.
Third: Children who were adopted can grow up to be awesome. Leia, for example, was not only well cared for, but she also became extremely successful. Which helps dispel the thought that children who were adopted can’t grow up to be amazing adults or that they have issues that hold them back. She also had a very successful relationship/marriage.
Fourth: There is a time and a place to teach a child about their story and it starts on Day One. Can you imagine the pain and fighting that could have been avoided if Luke had been told the truth about his father?
Fifth: Adoption involves loss. So much loss. Loss of birth parents. Loss of identity. Loss of trust. Again, I have to pose the question, what if Luke had been given more information about his background and his heritage early on?
With Star Wars day just around the corner I do believe LT, Tyson and I will curl up and have a movie fest and celebrate those wonderful things Star Wars has to offer.
