Some may argue that I'm a Harry Potter fan solely because the books and movies were released during my childhood. However, I'm an adult now and something about about the name Harry Potter still awakens some sleeping emotions and opens a floodgate of memories. As a college student studying creative writing, my ultimate goal is to one day become an author that impacts millions in the way that J.K. Rowling did. I may never be nearly as good as J.K. Rowling, but she cultivated my love for literature and showed me the power that writing can have on the world.
Here are ten lessons I learned from reading Harry Potter:
Spoiler Alert
The stories we love will always stay with us.
I've loved a story for years now, and it will always be kept safe in my heart.
True friends are loyal and will stand by your side during the hard times.
Ron, Hermione, and Harry were the best of friends, and they never deserted each other, no matter if it was fighting mythical creatures or countering the words of Draco Malfoy.
Cherish freedom.
Dobby gained freedom from a sock and it completely changed his life. Don't take the freedom to live for granted.
Knowledge and wisdom come from experience, and experience does not often come without pain.
One character who was the most respected wizard in the Harry Potter world, Dumbledore, didn't become wise without earning it.
We are in no control of our past, but we can influence our future.
Harry Potter couldn't bring his family or fallen loved ones back, but he could prevent them from dying without cause.
Power should be used wisely.
We learned that power in good hands can help the world while power in bad hands can ruin it. That's one reason why Harry decides not to keep the most powerful wand he ever encountered.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Sirius Black and Severus Snape were prime examples of this. Both started out as the bad characters, but both became heroes and close to our hearts.
We must face our fears, even in death.
The action of the novel oftentimes involved overcoming obstacles to achieve something for the greater good. We all remember Ron's fear of spiders and Harry's self-sacrifice in the last novel. It showed us that we can overcome anything and bravery can be found in even the scariest of moments.
Our loved ones never leave us.
Harry is frequently protected and given strength from his parents. Their love watched over him, as well as the various characters we lost throughout our reading. Just when you think you're alone, we learned to remember that our loved ones never truly left.
Love is stronger than hate.
This is an especially important lesson for our world today. Harry Potter showed us love through friendships, family, professors, and guardians. Despite all the evils against Harry, he overcame them through the power of love.
J.K. Rowling taught us so much about the world. Perhaps it isn't the magic that makes Harry Potter so great, but the magic we found within ourselves when reading his story.
