What we got from Harry Potter

The final Harry Potter movie was released last weekend, and I felt that at the end of an era (for millions of fans, including me!) needed to be commemorated.  The first book was published in the U.S. in July 1998, when I was only 7 years old!  It's strange to think that I watched the last movie, at times with tears in my eyes, at age 20.   It's definitely safe to say that I grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, sharing in their adventures, conundrums, and successes.  I fell in love with Fred and George Weasley shortly after I first read about them!  What's a twin to do?!?

I started out as a kid fascinated by a novel about a wonderful wizarding world, but looking back on my thirteen years of obsession with the tale of "the Boy Who Lived," I realized that the Harry Potter phenomenon provided more that a bedtime story.

First off, I loved Hermoine.  I always had dibs on dressing as her for parties, new releases, etc.  Finally we have a heroine who is not drop-dead gorgeous; instead, she's brilliant, brave, and understanding!  A bit of a know-it-all, yes, but she let her intelligence shine, setting an excellent example for girls across the globe.  And of course, what would Harry and Ron do without her?

Spoiler alert: one of my favorite parts in the last book is when Percy Weasley joins his family in the fight against the Dark Lord.  After years of fighting and eventually not speaking, the family is reunited (I gave a little cheer!).  Forgiveness?  Yes.  Value of family?  Yes.  I think the biggest statement this makes, though, is that it's never too late to do the right thing.   J.K. Rowling also pointed this out in the brief moment where Dudley thanks Harry for saving his life.  People CAN change for the better.  Yes!

The friendships are truly inspiring.  In reading a secret on postsecret.blogspot.com about a person envying the friendship of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine more than their wizardry/witchcraft, I felt so emotional that I couldn't continue through the rest of the page.  Because their friendship taught me what friendship truly is.  They fight, true, but they overcome their differences. They accept each other for who they are; the famous trio befriends Neville and Luna before they evolve into brave heroes in the final books.  But most importantly, they love each other throughout difficulties that I cannot even imagine.  I still get chills just thinking about friendship that deep...


I have yet to mention the value of a good laugh and positive attitude in the midst of dark times, the recognition that love proves to be the strongest force in the world, and the importance of trust despite uncertainty; all these lessons are hidden in the one-million-plus words that make up the Harry Potter series. So, to J.K. Rowling: for giving me so much more than novels that I just couldn't put down and for teaching me so much through Harry and his friends, I thank you.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."~Albus Dumbledore