This I believe

I believe in spending $250 on a lightsaber.

Since I was a little boy, I have been an avid lover of Star Wars. Every night I would tuck myself
into my death-star twin bed sheets, lay my head on my jedi pillowcase and gaze up at the glow-
in-the dark stars painted on the ceiling above my bed, counting x-wings and TIE fighters instead
of sheep. My imagination roamed, as I dreamt up stories and adventures for myself, wanting
nothing more than to grow up to become the galaxy’s most powerful jedi knight. I think my 6-
year-old self would be disappointed in me if he knew that I decided to dedicate my life to
studying science and medicine instead of the ways of the force. But I can deal with that. Now as
a 21-year-old college senior, I fall asleep on the exact same jedi pillowcase and dream of one day
slicing people open with a scalpel instead of with an emerald green lightsaber.
This summer, when I got my first “real” paycheck working in a research lab, I had absolutely no
idea what to do with it. Put it into savings? BORING! Invest in a Roth IRA? I’d be kidding
myself if I said I knew what that was. No. I was going to buy a lightsaber. Not just any old
lightsaber, but the absolute crème de la crème, the best one I could find—with a full soundboard,
metal hilt, and carbon fiber blade. Predictably, my mom and girlfriend rolled their eyes and
laughed.
“Are you kidding me?! You spent 250$ on a lightsaber?!”
“I mean, it’s your money, you can do whatever you want with it,” my dad said with a twinkle of
envy in his eye.
I do not want to misconstrue myself here. I’m not a fan of spending absurd amounts of money on
lavishes and luxuries. In fact, I prefer to live simply and typically don’t spend very much on
myself. But a lightsaber is different. It holds special meaning to me. The lightsaber represents my
childhood, my imagination, and my sense of wonder that I hope to never lose. I still get giddy
with shivers every time I turn out the lights and ignite the saber, relishing in its crisp crackling
and soft emanating glow. Spending 250$ on a lightsaber is not really about the money; it’s about
proving to myself that I haven’t lost my sense of wonder, and that I’m not afraid to do something
that other people might think is strange. I believe in being unique, staying true to myself, and
not letting others’ opinions change what I do or who I am. If I want to buy a lightsaber, I’ll buy a
lightsaber—no matter what anyone else thinks. Why? Because life is far too short to go about
your days doing things to please other people. If I want to be countercultural, I will be. If I want
to explore the galaxy as a jedi knight, you can’t stop me. If I want to change the world, I’ll do it
—but with my lightsaber strapped to my belt of course.