Star Wars Celebration is the annual Star Wars convention and the geek center of the universe.  At the convention last week, The “Star Wars Force Awakens” trailer debuted and was subsequently viewed 88 million times in the first 24 hours of release.  It basically broke the Internet.

Come on. Even if you are not a Star Wars fan, you know that you have some interest in the “why” of a fan convention.  Why would 80,000 people spend millions of dollars to pretend that they are aliens from a long ago in a galaxy far, far away?  What is the motivation? Are these people idiots, socially challenged or raving lunatics?  Are they all middle-aged losers that live in their parents basements?

Allow me to re-frame your thoughts for a moment.

This was the third time I attended Star Wars Celebration and hopefully not my last. The first time I went, I did not tell anyone for fear they would make fun of me. In the back of my mind, I may have gone the first time to make fun of others that went.

The second time I went, I told a few people and one of them teased me in a nasty way.

This time, I told everyone in ear shot and felt really good about it.  I got some weird looks and a little ridicule, but I don’t care so much this time. Why?

We are taught from a very early age to be afraid of things that are different.  Kids on the playground mock each other to establish their place in the social order.  People that are different are easy targets and people strive for sameness to keep from being losers.  We are taught that we must pay a price to be ourselves.

Attending these events have made me less afraid of being joyful about what I love.

If someone makes fun of me, it’s OK. They just don’t get it. That is totally Ok.

We don’t all have to be the same.  We don’t all love the same stuff.

I am now much more self-aware about how I treat others and to be careful to not look down on someone else’s passion, even though I don’t understand it. (I am talking to you “Bronies”.  I am sorry about what I said about you.)

What has God placed in you that makes your “heart sing”?  It could be playing golf, running, playing the kazoo, fishing, shooting, shooting fish (which I understand is illegal) building ships in a bottle, etc…

If there is something that you love, and you are holding back because you are afraid that someone will make fun of you, go ahead and express it. It will make you a better, more authentic you.

You are made individually, in a wonderful and distinct way.  I believe that being more authentic is pleasing to the one that created you. It has to be because God made you just like you are.
 
As Freddie Prince Jr. said, “My mom taught me at a very young age that people are going to make fun of you no matter what, so just commit to what you love and don’t care what anyone says”.
 
If that is the definition of a geek, then count me in.