We are the Harry Potter Generation. We grew up reading the books. We were the ones waiting on line until midnight for the next book to be released. We watched the movies and saw our beloved characters grow up with us. As this is Harry Potter weekend, and J.K Rowling and Harry Potter's birthday on Sunday, I wanted to share the important lessons that "Harry Potter" books gave us.
1. Happiness will come from the most unexpected places.
After his parents died when he was one, Harry was sent to live with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and his cousin Dudley. He did not grow up around a loving family, but when Harry turned 11 his whole life changed forever. He received his letter from Hogwarts school for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
2. True friends will always stick with you to the end.
The beloved Golden Trio is an true example of friendship. Despite his horrible childhood, Harry found two great friends who stuck by him with every decision and adventure. They were there for him at his lowest and highest points. They taught him the true meaning of friendship and what it means to love.
3. " The ones that love us never really leave us."
Harry experienced a great deal of loss growing up. He lost his parents when he was a baby. His godfather died when he just started to get to know him. That list could go on. We learned through Harry Potter that even after death, our love ones are still with us. They are watching over us and will forever be inside our hearts.
4. Money cannot buy happiness.
Money is not the source of all happiness. Harry had money that his parents left to him after they died. The Weasley family did not have much. Mr and Mrs. Weasley had to provide for their seven children. They struggled sometimes. Ron Weasley and most of his siblings had to go to Hogwarts with a lot of hand-me-down items. Regardless of their money situation, this family had so much love for one another. Harry found a home with the Weasley's that he did not think he would find anywhere.
5. Sometimes we to have face our fears alone.
From the moment he survived the killing curse when he was baby, Voldemort became Harry Potter's ultimate enemy. Harry Potter had to accept that he could die. He had to accept that he won't see his love ones again. He knew that his sacrifice could help save the world. He had to make the decision to face Voldemort alone. His story reminded us that friends won't always be by your side and we will sometimes have to face battles alone.
6. Teachers are some of the most resourceful mentors out there.
Harry relied on many of his professors for help whether inside or out the classroom. Professor Dumbledore helped him realize many concepts of his past and was a guide for him even after his death. Professor Mcgonagall believes in tough love. She believed in Harry and his friends every step of the way, but she wasn't afraid to tell him when he was out of line. Just like Dumbledore and Mcgonagall, our professors will be there to guide us along the way.
7. You can't run away from the past.
Harry, Dumbledore, and Snape are a big part of this equation. There were times when Harry wished he wasn't the chosen one. He had to accept that he could not change what happened when he was a baby. Also, Dumbledore tried his hardest to keep the secrets of his childhood. Those secrets unfortunately came out after his death and we realize that this "perfect" man had imperfections of his own. Lastly Snape, is probably one of the most complex characters of the novels. Snape's actions were based on the past, the night Lily Potter died. From then on, he worked secretly as double agent for Dumbledore. He loved Lily Potter till the end of his life. No matter where we go, our past is a part of us.
8. Love is the strongest power of all.
Love is what saved Harry Potter the night that Voldemort tried to kill him. Voldemort never knew what love was. He fed on fear and hatred. These books and movies showed us that love can overpower hatred. Even when you are at your lowest point in your life, someone will always be right next to you to see if your okay. With love, you are never alone.
9. Teenage years are horrible.
Even though Harry Potter's quest was to defeat Voldemort, he and his friends still had to deal with hormones. He and his friends had to deal with all the consequences of relationships. Throughout the series, we saw characters fall in love and fall apart. Like Harry and his friends, we question our feelings when we start to like someone new. We definitely feel those pent up emotions when we see the person we love with someone else. At the end of the day, there is someone out there for everybody somewhere.
10. Hogwarts will always be your home.
The last "Harry Potter" book came out in 2007 and the last movie in 2011. Five years after this franchise has come to an end, "Harry Potter" still lives within all of us. Most of us will still hope to get that Hogwarts letter. We will want to go to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. We still wish for this place to come alive. No matter how old we are, Harry Potter will always be a part our lives. We are the Harry Potter generation. We will stick with him until the end.
