Professor Albus Dumbledore, the wise old wizard from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, was a dear friend of mine. I sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione while Dumbledore guided us through life and taught my entire generation about patience, love and acceptance. As we grow up and start our lives—apart from Harry, Ron and Hermione, we must always remember 25 things that Albus Dumbledore taught us.

1. When we are afraid to speak up:

Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2. When prejudice holds us back:

It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

3. When we question or avoid the concept of death:

It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.—Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

4. When sadness overcomes us:

Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.—Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

5. When you find yourself consumed by the material things:

As much money and life as you could want! The two things human beings would choose above all—the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

6. When we pretend like our problems don't exist:

Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

7. When we really need our lost loved ones:

You think the dead we love ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?—Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

8. When people assume that you're Slytherin material, but you just want Gryffindor:

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities—Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

9. When we talk the talk but we don't walk the walk:

It does not due to dwell on dreams and forget to live.—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

10. When you're almost positive that your boss is a soulless monster:

Do not pity the dead, Harry, pity the living, and, above all, those who live with out love.—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

11. When great potential is overlooked:

It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

12. When we know something that has the ability to hurt:

The truth, it is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

13. When we must make peace with death:

After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

14. When we have to remind ourselves what we are fighting for:

We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

15. When we come together to serve the greater good:

Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

16. When we question war:

It is important to fight and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay though never quite eradicated.—Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

17. When we have to admit our faults:

People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than for being right.—Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

18. When there is no I in team:

We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

19. When you are apart from your loved ones:

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

20. When the bad outweighs the good:

We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, Harry, but battle on.—Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

21. When we need to be reminded that the truth is right:

It is my belief that the truth is generally preferable to lies.—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

22. When we grow up and our imagination sits on the back burner:

For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.—Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

23. When it hurts more than we can handle:

This pain is part of being human ... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.—Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

24. When we say something we regret:

The best of us sometimes eat our words.—Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

25. When we need to stand up for what we believe in, regardless of who objects:

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Mischief Managed.