So, about December 18th, 2015

I am 35 years old.  Since I am 35 years there are some basic things you can assume about me.  In no particular order: I grew up loving Barry Bonds then hating him, I like Dave Matthews, but above and beyond both of those...Star Wars defined my youth.

I had the action figures (they are not dolls), I had the sheets, I had the lunch box, I had the light sabers, etc.  If it had even a hint of Darth Vader or Han Solo on it, there is a good chance I wanted or had it.

It is my love (yes love) of all things Star Wars that had me buy a bootleg copy of the Star Wars Holiday Special on DVD (and I know why George Lucas does not want it released, it is terrible).  It is also my love of all things Star Wars that has me so excited for December 18th, 2015.  On that date the seventh movie in the greatest film franchise will be released.

Also on 12/18/2015, things come full circle.  I will be there on the first day with my then-to-be eight year old son, Luke (really, I didn't name him that because of the films).

There are certain things I really hoped my son would like when he was born, chief among them were baseball and the original Star Wars films.

While my son enjoys baseball, he loves soccer.  That will be his sport, and I am ok with that (kinda).  The really good news was that he loves the original Star Wars films as much as I do.

No joke, I can still remember putting the first Star Wars (I refuse to call it A New Hope) on for him to watch.   He was in immediate awe.  His blue eyes grew wide and he was actually cheering for Luke to blow up the Death Star.  He was upset when Obi-Wan gave himself up to Vader.  He asked to watch it again as soon as it ended.

Now I am the one buying Darth Vader Helmets (I do not wear them when he is at his mom's house), light sabers, action figures, sheets, movies, video games, etc.  I get to relive a little bit of my childhood when he wants to play Star Wars (sometimes I even let him win...sometimes).  Whether he will remember all this when he is my age, I do not know, but I remember it now. 

The fact that this bond is because of some movie does not matter to me, because the bond is ours. On what is sure to be a cold day in 2015, I can picture us waiting in line for our tickets, getting our popcorn and waiting for the previews to end so we can see those giant yellow letters scroll on the screen.  I know we will have a great day.

Going forward I do not know what my relationship with my son will be like, but I know where I will be on 12/18/2015.

Oh yeah...and to completely misquote Empire Strikes Back...Luke, I am your father.