'm among the many millions who watched Star Wars when it came out in 1977. Although I'm not a fanatic fan, I was always intrigued with the lightsaber—the sword made of light—used by Luke Skywalker and others.

The first laser was developed in the mid-1950's, and medical applications of the laser developed for surgery began in the mid-1960's. It's been refined for delicate and difficult surgeries since then.

The medical use of lasers is almost like tiny lightsabers. This illustrates a spiritual truth, as well as one known in physics—the penetrating power of light.