I am an admitted dork and while I am gearing up for the next to last Harry Potter film I have been rereading the series from the beginning. And I have found a deeper meaning to the books this go around.
I am a fast reader and while that can get expensive, there are many books in my personal library that I enjoy going back and reading only to discover new thoughts, a great line and even some typos.
But the key to my missive this time is the overall theme of the books, while it is fun to see a version of the world with broomsticks, Quiddich and spells, the underlying theme to this series is truly about doing the right thing, even when it is much harder to do.
I faced a situation in the past week that made me think, question myself, my abilities and kept me repeatedly saying sorry to those friends who always are there, ready to lend a hand. Those same friends came right back at me with don’t worry, you did a fine a job and we love you. Those simple sentiments while trying hard not to crumble and cry made me have a light bulb moment.
I may not be voted prom queen or most popular but I didn’t care about those accolades in high school, so why should I care now? We all want to be liked and accepted but sometimes the line between doing the right thing and just taking the easy way out is quite obvious.
I was talking to a friend this past week, a friend that didn’t think much of me at one point in time. She wanted to apologize for giving me a hard time and realized that while I might be a zealous control freak with issues, my heart has always been in the right place. After such an emotional and tiring week, I was ready to sit and just cry, but it would not be tears of sadness. I wanted to say to her to stop being so silly, that it really is no big deal.
Sure, it is really hard to do the right thing sometimes, it is a test to make sure that your internal moral compass is set due north. I have made plenty of mistakes and will make plenty more but I have also been blessed with friends who are there for me.
Some people like to castigate JK Rowling and those who do read her books, saying that it is about witchcraft, magic; but the reality is they have not read the books or if they have, not taken the time to see what the true meaning is of the books. It is about picking friends who will be there for you, who are supportive and understand right from wrong.
The books are about being open and kind to others who may not look like you or act like you. It is about acceptance and taking that road that some fear may just be too hard to take.
The series also did something for children that has made my heart smile, it has made children love to read again and discover a place that they can go. A book can take you anywhere and when your budget is tight, a chance t get away, even if it is just for a few minutes at a time.
I might be lame for reading “kiddie” books but I don’t care. Some people understand me and love me for who I am; others may only tolerate me while others might be openly hostile towards me. But I am me and if I didn’t care about senior superlatives in high school, I definitely don’t care about them now.
And go find a book and stick your nose in it! You just might travel to fascinating places and learn something you didn’t know before!
Stumbling Through Life 