Isn’t it astonishing that J.K Rowling has wielded so much power that she melts us into heaps of misery, yet also fabricates the strange warmth and quiet joy that fills us at the end of Christmas day, all with just a pen and paper? Rowling touches the lives of millions of readers anywhere from the age of five all the way up to the age of 60 and beyond. Isn’t it incredible that each Harry Potter book inspires the same love and devotion from our toddlers all the way up to our elders? Her words unite us, change us, and give us the warmth and comfort of a home in the pages of her novels. For those of us who grew up gathered around a bed for a chapter read aloud, we literally grew up with Harry. As he reached his teen years, so did we. As he became a young adult, we reached the same stage in our lives at the same time. We faced the same mental demons. We fought the same inner battles. We grew up with Harry on the Hogwarts grounds and I can’t think of a better person to guide us through all the hard moments in life. We were lucky enough to have Harry Potter as our pilot, as there is no shortage of life lessons in the pages of the wildly intricate world of Harry Potter. So here, I would like to thank J.K. Rowling on behalf of thousands of avid Harry Potter fans for a few things that she has taught us, for no book has ever influenced us the same way Harry and his friends have.

So, Rowling, thank you:

1. For giving me a safe place to escape from my demons with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as my allies.

2. For teaching me the love that hides inside a story book.

3. For shaping my childhood and creating memories for me that I will never forget.

4. For somehow finding a way to tear down the barriers that have long divided children and adults, as we can learned vast amounts from both.

5. For taking the reins in my childhood to teach me about the poison of hubris in Malfoy’s sneer and the power of honesty in Harry’s humility.

6. For teaching me to be nice to the nerdy kid, as we should never underestimate the power of puberty.

7. For being a voice for feminism as Harry would never have made it through any adventure without Hermione’s wit.

8. For teaching me to always stand up for what I believe in, despite the repercussions, just as Harry continues to stand up to the most dangerous wizard of all time.

9. For reinforcing that hell hath no fury like a pissed off mom.

10. For showing me that heroes do not always wear capes, but more times than not, heroes are the underdogs.

11. For showing me the importance of friendship,

12.But for also teaching me that sometimes we must face our battles alone.

13. For introducing me to Sirius Black, where I learned to never judge a book by its cover.

14. For showing me that sometimes our greatest enemies turn out to be our best teachers, always.

15. For teaching me the importance of selflessness. Sometimes we must make hard decisions in order to protect the ones we love.

16. For making me realize that nurses are total badasses and deserve tons of respect.

17. For showing me that good friends help you get out of trouble, but best friends get into trouble with you.

18. And for showing me that with age comes wisdom.

I could go on for pages about how thankful I am for Rowling’s devotion to her writing. I believe she is an inspiration for us all, whether you are a writer or an engineer. She shows us that we all can be great if we put our whole hearts into our work. In this way we can change the world for the better. We have the power to overcome the darkness in our lives and stand in the warmth of the sun.