The Force Is Strong With Dr. Diane
Pediatrician celebrates her favorite day of the year ... May the 4th
If I could show you the vast distance that the arms of my dorkyness could reach, you'd be astonished.
That is why when Cook Children's asked me to write something about what Star Wars means to me today, what with it being Star Wars Day (May the 4th Be With You), I may or may not have squealed and jumped up and down (while sitting in full Han Solo costume, of course)!
Star Wars was a fun movie series that I started watching in my teens. None of my friends were into it...my family didn't seem to care much about it...but I loved it! What a fun story about a galaxy far, far away!
It got my mind out of the stress of college and medical school. The characters were fun, hilarious, and sometimes complicated. The plot was always fast and the lines between good and evil were so clearly drawn (and yet...sometimes not so clear?)
Let's face it. Star Wars, like any well-made movie series, is a great way to escape.
Now that I have kids, Star Wars is even more fun. While they're still young and the movies may be still a little too scary for them, my son and I have racked up HOURS of conversations about why Darth Vader (um only the coolest guy ever to a 4-year-old) is on the Dark Side, who gets to own a lightsaber, and what kind of creature is Jabba the Hutt? Halloweens are full of fun costumes.
I have found that Star Wars has been such a fun connection to have with my patients, too! When a shy 5-year-old will not make eye contact with me all I have to do is pretend that tongue depressor is a lightsaber and....we're besties having a lightsaber fight!
And I publicly apologize to the mother of the 8-year-old last week who had to endure a conversation her son had with me about the shocking events of "The Last Jedi" for the entirety of his check-up 
And I'm not the only one! I've connected with so many other Cook Children's providers who are die-hard fans, too! NP Tara, Dr. Peak, Dr. Gray, Dr. Perry, I'm looking at you ...
And I mean, is there any better way to live your life than by the quotes of the Master Yoda? "The greatest teacher, failure is," is my new mantra.
Sure, in the end, it's just a dorky movie universe. But is there a more fun way to connect with people you might not otherwise connect with? Loving the same characters, the same story ... it's allowed me to grow close to others in so many ways.
May the Force Be With You!
Hugs,
Dr. Diane
A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away ... Get to know Diane Arnaout, M.D.
Dr. Diane Arnaout joined the Cook Children's Willow Park practice in 2011. You can stay connected with Dr. Arnaout and the Willow Park practice on Facebook. Dr. Arnaout was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She attended college at Texas A&M University and medical school at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. She did her pediatric internship and residency at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and M.D. Anderson at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, TX where she served as a leader on the medical education committees. She is a board-certified pediatrician. Click to learn more.
