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plummeted.
    Ben’s dead.
    I’m still trying to sort out my thoughts and feelings. I mean, I’d only known Ben for a day, really. Yet I miss him even more than I miss my aunt and uncle… and I spent my life with them.
    There was just something so special, so alive about Ben. Being around him was like being around the father I had never had… but always dreamed about.
    And now he’s gone.

NINTH ENTRY
    Ben was teaching me so much about the Force, and without him, I don’t know if I’ll ever hear about it again. So I’d better record what I can remember, while it’s still fresh in my mind.
    If Ben was the last Jedi, then I’ll never become one. But I know what I have learned from Ben has made a huge difference in my life. I can feel the power around me and within me. I know his teachings are important enough to hold on to. And pass along.
    Ben and I spoke a lot about the Force—the energy force created by all living things. Ben called it “an aura that at once controls and obeys,” although he said no one, not even the Jedi Masters or scientists, could find a true definition for it. I guess that’s because it’s in one’s mind as much as outside of it. It’s not something you can put your finger on to control and study. You have to believe in its power to access its power.
    Anyway, if this seems confusing, that’s okay. Nobody understands it right away. Ben said that learning the Force requires great patience—that it’s a lifelong education. He seemed to think that even at his age and level of mastery, he was still learning.
    Once, Ben said, the Jedi-in-training would spend a great deal of time contemplating and opening themselves gradually to the Force. But that’s when the Jedi were the leaders of the galaxy and the keepers of the peace. Things have changed. There’s no time for that now. Ben wanted me to train in a faster way. A more active, hands-on approach. Still, the essential teachings are as they always were. Learn to trust the Force. Learn to open up the senses and feel the Force.
    Sometimes I think I can do this. But other times I’m not so sure. Ben told me to trust my feelings and to let go of trying to control myself. There are times when I have to divorce my actions from conscious control. I’m not exactly sure when to do this, but Ben said I’ll know when the time comes.
    The workings of the Force aren’t always direct, but they’re strong. Because of it, Ben knew I was coming and would need his help when the Sand People struck. Somehow, if you’re open, the Force gives you information. Like knowing when someone is following you without actually seeing anyone. It’s a lot like having a sixth sense, really.
    It can also help you influence the weak-minded, or those accustomed to obeying orders, like the stormtroopers. Ben demonstrated this numerous times. He would say something with such total confidence that others would believe anything he said—even repeat what he had said. It was unbelievable! It was like Ben hypnotized them.
    I think one of the hardest lessons for me is not to be fooled by appearances. Ben looked like a shabby old hermit, but that wasn’t the truth. The Falcon looks like a pile of junk, but that’s not the truth, either. I have to confess, if my friends were around, I would have felt ashamed of Ben and the Falcon upon first glance. But I’m learning that appearances don’t count for much. Imperial troops look smart and impressive, but at heart they’re just cowards and bullies.
    Ben told me that the Force can accomplish miracles. That anything is possible when you are open to the Force and you let it flow through you. That’s how I’m supposed to use my lightsaber—let it flow from me. It’s all about letting yourself go and trusting the Force.
    Of course, very few men recognize or feel the Force. And even fewer can use it. But a Jedi feels the Force, just like any other physical object. A Jedi can harness its power.
    One of the most important things Ben