Your Own Old Ben
Dear Andy,
As your uncle, it has been an incredible honor getting to know you and see you grow up over these past 4 years. It has been fun watching you reach each exciting milestone and seeing your mom (my sister) learn to catch your curveballs. I was particularly delighted when I recently learned that you have become excited about Star Wars. Not long, long ago, your mother told me with a groan that you had started asking questions about Star Wars. Soon after, my sons got you the gift of your first toy lightsaber and the three of you ran around our house pretending to be Jedi.
See, as kids, your mom was never really interested in Star Wars but I was absolutely enthralled with the saga. It helped me to understand the struggle between good and evil and how to be a better person. Plus, it was just a lot of fun and it has been even more fun to watch it again through the eyes of my sons and now you. As a kid (and even sometimes as an adult), I have often identified with Luke Skywalker: a young idealist who wanted to make a difference. And your mom has always embodied Princess Leia: brilliant, strong, and take-charge. These characters and their stories have been with me since before I can remember and have shaped my view of the world and my role in it.
Then came you. Something strange happened when you were born which was very unexpected to me. When you were born, I found myself identifying with a new character: Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’m not sure if this is a common experience for uncles but the feeling caught me by surprise. There is a scene at the end of Star Wars, Episode 3 (Spoiler/Nerd Alert) when Obi-Wan leaves the newborn baby Luke to live with his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. He looks on thoughtfully for a moment then turns and rides away. But we know that Obi-Wan will remain close and watchful for a time when he may need to protect the precious hero.
Your mother and I have an uncle like this. Our uncle Hector was always there in hard times as a stable and strong presence. He was there to visit us in college and take us out for a good meal or to buy us a warm coat. I always appreciated Hector’s generosity and dependability but I don’t know that I ever completely understood why he was so dedicated. But as your uncle, I now feel that this role of mentor and protector is something that may be instinctual and deeply ingrained.
Every time I see you, I have come to identify with that role. It is a completely involuntary sense of honor and it seems strange to me. I love your parents with all my heart (even your mom who has been a pain in my ass since she was born), but this obligation isn’t really to them. I also love you more than I could have imagined but this obligation isn’t to you either. What I find most strange is that the sense of obligation that I feel is to hundreds of people that I never met.
Years ago, I had the honor of meeting your great grandparents Anne and Sandy Klein. As you probably know by now, your great grandmother Anne was the only person in her family to survive Auschwitz during the holocaust and your great grandfather fought in World War II in Europe. They were wonderful people and I was deeply moved by their story and their spirit. To this day, I think of them each time I see you. I think of their perseverance and I imagine what they would have wanted for you. Then I think of all of your ancestors that persevered for generations so that you could exist.
Your mom and I struggle to be connected to our ancestors. Although we know that our lineage is proud and strong, it was lost in an attempt to assimilate into American culture. I don’t fully understand our story and I wonder about our ancestor’s struggles and hopes. But your father comes from a lineage that has made it a priority to maintain the Jewish tradition for ten thousand years and has now found its way to your mother and you. I think of the centuries of courage that this tradition has required and I realize that my responsibility to you becomes vastly more important.
Andy, just like Luke Skywalker, you are special. I’m sure your parents tell you that all the time but you are more special than most. You had no control over the fact that you are a walking time capsule. Your existence is proof of countless generations of people who fought to survive and thrive in hostile environments.
You are the descendant that your ancestors dreamed about and fought for. And now, you are in my family. It will be an honor to continue to watch you learn and grow. It will be an adventure to teach you the ways of the Force (a topic for another letter), along with my own sons. I will be there when you need me, whether you know it or not. I will be there for you the way Hector was there for me and your mom; the way Obi-Wan was there for Luke. I am looking forward to seeing where your adventure takes you.
Remember, the Force will be with you...always.
Your Loving Uncle,
John
