It's all about forgiveness. And you have to be ready for it.
I recently read "The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi". It's pretty good, for a kid's book. And I love Obi-Wan, so I HAD to read it.
There's a particular scene that's sticking with me: Obi-Wan, during his exile on Tatooine, comes across the remains of a Tusken camp. He suddenly realizes, with the help of the Force, that this is where Shmi Skywalker died, and that the darkness he senses is from Anakin's rampage.
He is angry with Qui-Gon, or rather Qui-Gon's ghost, for not telling him. Qui-Gon tells him that he kept it from him for the same reason he keeps the truth of Luke's father to himself. He wasn't ready.
Well, Obi-Wan is ticked off, and Qui-Gon tells him he still isn't ready, and vanishes.
How rude! Well, he was right, Obi-Wan wasn't ready. Why? He finds out after his death, at the time of Anakin's death, when he reaches out to his former Padawan and saves him from oblivion.
"Why me, Master?" Anakin asks in his contrition.
And at the moment Obi-Wan realizes that it wasn't the knowledge that he wasn't ready for, it was forgiveness. He wasn't ready to forgive Anakin until that moment.
But I wonder something. How could he forgive him? How could anyone forgive such betrayal, and the atrocities that followed? Was saving Luke enough to redeem him for everything he'd done?
Or was it as Obi-Wan answered him, "Because you ended the horror."
Well, that maybe true, but you're a better person that I am, Obi-Wan. I would have let him rot in all nine of the Corellian hells. Oh, I can let things go... go past that is, and move on, but I can hold a grudge for a long time!
Perhaps it's the Jedi way. Or perhaps it's the heart and wisdom of Obi-Wan.
Whatever it is, it's beyond my comprehension!
17 comments:
leia19886
Someone get this big walking carpet out of my way ...
date Posted: Aug 06, 2009 6:16 PM
IMO, the answer to your question is Faith, Hope, and Love.
Obi-Wan believed in the Force. The way we believe in God, Budda or what ever name you give him.
The way I see it, Obi-Wan had to first forgive himself for the hurt he caused Anakin. Then he could find the strenghth to forgive Anakin. Obi-Wan forgive himself you may ask.
Yep. IMO, he had to come to terms with not letting Anakin go find his mother when he was dreaming she was introuble. He ( Obi-Wan ) didn't take it seriously enough. Dreams will pass in time he said.
Well, Anakin's dreams didn't pass. They only got more frequent and unsetteling.
Anakin, wanting to do the right thing, was told to do nothing.
Not the Answer Anakin needed or wanted to hear.
How do you forgive Anakin for all the horrable stuff he did while in that suite?
By understanding that he was ready to forgive himself for all the stuff he did while wearing that suite and the he trully was letting go of all his hatered toward everyone including himself and was ready to accept love into his life.
Just my opinion :)
kyle228
Truly Wonderful, the Mind of a Child Is...
date Posted: Aug 06, 2009 6:44 PM
Whatever it is, it's beyond my comprehension!
Me too... that sounds pretty deep for a children's story! The serene peacefulness that comes with the Jedi Order must have given Obi-Wan insight we can't imagine.
Nice blog, and MTFBWY, A!
Gidrea Lightsky
The Galaxy According to Gidrea
date Posted: Aug 06, 2009 10:22 PM
Obi-Wan believed in the Force. The way we believe in God, Budda or what ever name you give him.
I call it a bunch of hooey. And as for Obi-Wan, he could touch and use the Force, not just believe in it. It was real.
Obi-Wan had nothing he needed to forgive himself for, except for his perceived failure in training Anakin.
But Anakin made his own choices.
It's Obi-Wan's capacity to love and forgive that's amazing.
Me too... that sounds pretty deep for a children's story!
Well, it's for Young Adults, whatever that means. Over 12 I'd guess from the reading level.
The serene peacefulness that comes with the Jedi Order must have given Obi-Wan insight we can't imagine.
That's why I'm so envious of them! :D
Jedi Master Mina
Another Galaxy, another time
date Posted: Aug 07, 2009 10:03 AM
What have I done to you...:_| I'm making you go to the dark side in your thought process...LOL :^O
Crap, trigger finger is at it again...I wanted to comment some more before hitting the submit button. :^O
"Why me, Master?" Anakin asks in his contrition.
Obi-Wan answered him, "Because you ended the horror."
I also believe it was stated in another book that Obi-Wan told Anakin that he came back to the light and redeemed himself by saving his son. ;)
I need coffee...BBL to bug you about that "other" blog assignment...LMAO
Gidrea Lightsky
The Galaxy According to Gidrea
date Posted: Aug 07, 2009 10:10 AM
I'm making you go to the dark side in your thought process...LOL
It was a short trip!
I need coffee...BBL to bug you about that "other" blog assignment...LMAO
Two cures for the blogging blahs..... caffeine and someone else's ideas! LOL
Darth_Buir
Together we can rule the galaxy as father and son.
date Posted: Aug 07, 2009 9:50 PM
Obi-Wan had to first forgive himself for the hurt he caused Anakin
he had to come to terms with not letting Anakin go find his mother when he was dreaming she was introuble. He ( Obi-Wan ) didn't take it seriously enough. Dreams will pass in time he said.
Even Yoda's advice to Anakin about his dreams/nightmares was to let go of his attachments. I don't think Obi-wan had anything to forgive himself for, nor did Qui-gon have any moral high ground, after all it was Qui-gon who insisted Anakin be taken from his mother and trained.
But Anakin made his own choices.
I agree and I must admit I've always thought Anakin/Vader got off a bit lightly, being redeemed just for that one act. pah!
DB
starwarsfan_84
Some Nerd's Opinion
date Posted: Aug 08, 2009 12:52 PM
IMO, the answer to your question is Faith, Hope, and Love.
Obi-Wan believed in the Force. The way we believe in God, Budda or what ever name you give him.
I agree.
I call it a bunch of hooey. And as for Obi-Wan, he could touch and use the Force, not just believe in it. It was real.
It's not hooey, Gidrea. Trust me on this. You say that kind of forgiveness is incomprehensible. Just think about this: what good does holding grudges do? Does it make you or anyone happier?
Gidrea Lightsky
The Galaxy According to Gidrea
date Posted: Aug 08, 2009 3:13 PM
Just think about this: what good does holding grudges do? Does it make you or anyone happier?
So you just let the people who wrong you get away with it? That's hooey, too!
A grudge reminds you to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
starwarsfan_84
Some Nerd's Opinion
date Posted: Aug 09, 2009 11:34 AM
So you just let the people who wrong you get away with it? That's hooey, too!
Forgiveness doesn't mean letting people step all over you. It means getting rid of your vengeful feelings you have towards those who have harmed you, loving them and helping them become better people. If someone stole all my money, I would want that person to go to jail because they broke the law, but I would also forgive that person for what they did and hope that they never do something like that again. Do you understand what I mean?
A grudge reminds you to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
We should always be careful, of course, but why hold hatred and animosity in your heart? That's no way to live.
Gidrea Lightsky
The Galaxy According to Gidrea
date Posted: Aug 10, 2009 8:52 AM
We should always be careful, of course, but why hold hatred and animosity in your heart? That's no way to live.
I live just fine, thank you. And I don't want to get into a philosophical discussion with you, neither of us can win! LOL
I can't turn my dislikes off with a switch! Sounds like some religious mumbo jumbo to me, and I'm not religious.
You obviously are, that's why we will never convince each other of our views!
starwarsfan_84
Some Nerd's Opinion
date Posted: Aug 11, 2009 4:55 PM
And I don't want to get into a philosophical discussion with you, neither of us can win! LOL
Fair enough. But, I just wanted to tell you that your blog really motivated me to write one. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. :D
JawaJoey
Return of the Jawa
date Posted: Aug 11, 2009 7:52 PM
Forgiveness is interesting. I'm not sure I could forgive Vader, either. I think I'd need to know more about Anakin's thoughts after being redeemed before I could say whether I thought he deserved some kind of forgiveness or not. Why he did it and what he feels is relevant, I think.
loving them and helping them become better people.
I'm not sure how forgiveness does that.
Nor do I think hate is such a bad thing. I think hate gets a bad rap. Most of the time, there's no harm in hating something. And sometimes, you have to hate something to be motivated to change it for the better. Only when hate makes you do something stupid is it bad.
What's wrong with hating something that is wrong?
Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi
I was a Teenage Jedi
date Posted: Aug 12, 2009 12:50 PM
loving them and helping them become better people
I'm not sure how forgiveness does that
Forgiveness strikes me as the first step on that road. It's hard to love and help someone that you hate, but by letting go of individual grudges, you can truly focus on helping that person become a better person in a way you couldn't before. Now you'd be able to help them become a better person because it will be good for them and make them a happier person, rather than because you want them to stop bugging you. Letting go of your hate for a person allows you to desire good for that person.
What's wrong with hating something that is wrong?
I think what's wrong with it is what it does to you. I've experienced hatred, and it's an emotion that makes me so mad I can't think straight. It makes me want to be violent, and even distracts me from wanting to change something for the better. It makes me more concerned with revenge and retribution than with progress and reform.
Gidrea Lightsky
The Galaxy According to Gidrea
date Posted: Aug 12, 2009 1:32 PM
you can truly focus on helping that person become a better person in a way you couldn't before.
That's ridiculous, you can't help everyone become better, some people are incorrigible, or you may not even have a way to help them change.
I've experienced hatred, and it's an emotion that makes me so mad I can't think straight.
That's rage, not hate. Hate can just sit there in the back of your mind and remind you who to trust and whom not to.
starwarsfan_84
Some Nerd's Opinion
date Posted: Aug 12, 2009 4:52 PM
Um, I didn't think I was going to post any more comments in this blog but now I really feel compelled to.
I can't turn my dislikes off with a switch!
Neither can I. My point is that you shouldn't intentionally hold onto hatred and anger towards people.
And sometimes, you have to hate something to be motivated to change it for the better.
You're right; hating something evil is morally good. There's a Christian concept called "righteous anger," which Jesus displayed when he drove the money changers out of the temple. He hated what they were doing, but (this is important) he didn't hate the people themselves. As the saying goes: "Hate the sin but love the sinner."
Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi
I was a Teenage Jedi
date Posted: Aug 12, 2009 9:44 PM
That's ridiculous, you can't help everyone become better, some people are incorrigible, or you may not even have a way to help them change
Oh, don't get me wrong, I think you're absolutely right--some people are incorrigible. But how am I to know that before I stop hating and give forgiveness a chance to do its work?
That's rage, not hate
Are they really so easily separated? Rage is a very intense feeling of hatred very quickly, but I think it still falls within the realm of hatred. It's hatred at its very worst. But are its effects really so different from hatred's in general? I think rage just brings those effects out more poignantly, all in a rush, and together. But I think those effects are still there with all forms of anger.
Darth_Buir
Together we can rule the galaxy as father and son.
date Posted: Aug 13, 2009 7:28 AM
What's wrong with hating something that is wrong?
it's wrong because it's the first step down a road that leads to all kinds of trouble, in that it entirely depends on your view of what makes something wrong, things aren't always black or white. If someone holds a differing point of view does that make them wrong and therefore worthy of hatred? Better to try to learn acceptance.
Anyway I think I've laboured this point too much already. Good blog.
DB
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