As a 40-Year Star Wars Fan, This is Why I Now Dread May the Fourth

As I write this it is May 4, 2017. It's a day I have have not looked forward to since 2011 when this silly pun was first used. Since then, every year on this day, my Facebook page gets filled with anything having to do with Star Wars.

And now everyone gets involved, including the Maine DOT.

And every year I complain about it.

Why does it bother me when I love Star Wars so much? Most people don't understand when I try to explain it to them, but let me give it a shot anyway.

There is absolutely no other movie franchise that I enjoy more than Star Wars. Nothing has ever compared to it for me. It's a huge piece of my childhood and that (feel free to laugh at me) I take very seriously.

I remember watching Star Wars for the first time in 1977 at the Bridgton Drive-In. It wasn't called subtitled A New Hope or even Episode IV then. Just Star Wars. It was the most amazing, captivating and fun movie I had ever seen.

Since then I have been to the premiere of eight Star Wars movies, with my ninth coming this December, and now I'm able to share that love of these movies with my son sitting by my side as the opening crawl and John Williams music fills the theater.

To have Star Wars day be based on a silly pun just cheapens the whole experience for me. It doesn't take the movies I love seriously like I do. Maybe that's good. Maybe not. Maybe I shouldn't take a movie seriously, but it's what Star Wars is for me. You may say it's all in good fun. Great. I don't feel the same way.

I think the true Star Wars day should be the anniversary of the first film's release, which also happens to be in May and this year will mark 40 years.

We all have things we are passionate about and want to view in our way. This one's mine. So go ahead and greet everyone with the pun and enjoy yourself. I'll celebrate on May 25th instead.