The day Hayden was born

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So, Hayden Christensen is 27 years old. Congratulations! It’s a strong number; a number of completion. The first cycle of life is coming to an end. Maturity is coming. And Hayden looks mature enough to me; very focused, very reserved, away from the walks of fame. Oh, I do love that so much about him. And he’s “perfectionsen” indeed. Just take a look at this photo by Mario Testino and sigh…

Where was I, 27 years ago? It was a lovely Easter Sunday and I was on a beach house, belonging to a friend from college, on the West Coast of Portugal, exactly at the same latitude as New York. I was in the final months of my university degree. Soon I would have to decide what to do with my life. I knew already, I always did, that writing is in my blood, combining research and story telling (history, legends, biography, music, leadership). It’s funny I was so right about it and I was so young then. And yet, I’m not there yet, where I belong. But I strongly believe I’m getting there, hopefully sooner than later.

Anyway, this episode is no fantasy; it really happened to me. There were no cellphones or internet then. The house didn’t even have a phone. So, after lunch, I had to go to the fishermen’s village nearby, to a public payphone, to call my mother, who was in Lisbon. No, it wasn’t because it was Easter Sunday, but because it was her birthday. Yes, my mother is an Aries, a native of the last day of the Ram. And it was astrology we talked about, when we walked back to the house. We sat on the wall of the road, above the sand and looked out to the sea. It was sunny, yet a bit windy, as the Northern wind always has its way over our West Coast. And soon the conversation evolved to different subjects, as usual.

I cannot remember how, but we started talking about The Empire Stikes Back and how the fact that Vader being Luke’s father affected us. My friend was all Han Solo’s; I was mostly Luke’s, but not exactly Luke’s. I needed a Skywalker better than Luke. Star Wars was such a hit then, we already knew that George Lucas had the plan to tell the story of the father, after completing the story of the son (mind you he was making Return of the Jedi then!). So, as far as I remember, it was the first time I was conscious that, for me, Anakin was the real deal. So many years passed, in which I would go back to the old question of: "who’s he going to find to match the Anakin I have on my mind”? When Attack of the Clones was released, all my acquaintances had to ask me what I thought about Hayden. I was lucky; I was thrilled; as ecstatic as anyone can be when an idea becomes reality. I told them the best was yet to come in Revenge of the Sith, which is my Star Wars favourite movie. I love the story, but, most of all, I love Hayden in it.

So, just imagine the feeling of destiny I had, when I knew about the day he was born and remembered how relaxed I was discussing the timing of the movies to come with my friend. And when she teased me, declaring that:” Maybe he’ll make the films 20 years from now. Probably the actor is not yet born!”, I just replied: “Maybe he was born today. Who knows?”
(By the way, I don't know at what time he was born and that is something missing in the puzzle I would like to know for sure.)

Anakin/Vader was just the beginning for Hayden; he brought him fame and he brought him problems. But the actor is growing, and the right characters will come to him. Believe me. I should know, right?
Happy birthday, Hayden Christensen !

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