It should come as no surprise, to those who even barely know me, to learn that, at my house, Star Wars is practically a way of life.  This also means that Lego Star Wars is a daily topic for conversation, especially with the recent Cartoon Network Lego Star Wars special episodes that have become a staple of our viewing habits.

For Fathers Day, Lego put together a stop-motion animation video, celebrating the joys of fatherhood, depicting Vader and Luke engaged in various activities together.  Take a look for yourself:

This morning, I excitedly rounded up the two little ones and showed them this masterpiece.  They enjoyed it and watched it a few more times before I settled in to get some grading done.

Then, it got quiet.  Too quiet.  Anyone with children knows the dangers that serenity foreshadows.

My daughter came into the room and said, “Parker’s in his room crying, Dad.”

Uh-oh…

My first response was, “What did you do to your brother?”

“Nothing!  I don’t know why he’s crying!”

Yeah, right.

I put the computer down and went in to his room, expecting to play referee and call a foul on my daughter for having taken things too far.

Nope.

He was curled up in the fetal position, pillow over his head, sobbing great, big, sloppy ones.  “Hey, buddy, what’s wrong?”  As soon as I asked, he started crying even harder, but wouldn’t answer me.  I pried and prodded, but still, nothing.  No answers, just more tears.

I picked him up and held him close.  I sang our favorite song (Hush Little Digger), rubbed his back, and reassured him that everything was okay, but still, he cried.  I asked why again, and he finally responded with a sobbing, “I d-d-d-don’t know!”

Hmm…

I asked if he hurt himself.  Nope.  I asked if he had a headache, since his molars are coming in, after all.  Nada.  Finally, I asked if there was something making him sad.

Bingo.

On a hunch, I asked him if it was the Lego Star Wars video, to which he replied, “Y-y-y-y-essss!”

Putting it all together, I recognized what was happening.  I asked him if it was because, in the end of the video (I hope you watched it by now, or else this is a spoiler), Luke leaves and Vader sheds a Sith tear.  Yep—nailed it.  I then spent the next fifteen minutes or so reassuring him that I wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was he.

What blew me away was the depth of this five year-old boy’s sensitivity.  Children this young *get* a lot more than we, as adults, ever give them credit for, and for him to recognize from this brief video the pain of separation is a testament to our bond as father and child.

I am one heck of a blessed guy this Fathers Day.