For someone much like myself, "Harry Potter" was a lot more than just a book and film series. When Harry started at Hogwarts, many of us were just starting school ourselves and we grew up alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione. And as much as "Harry Potter" entertained us, it taught us so many lessons as well. J.K. Rowling was an absolute genius, and with Harry's birthday being July 31, what better time to share some of the most beautifully written quotes that can be taken away from the series that had such a giant impact our our lives.
1. “People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.” – Albus Dumbledore
As humans, we tend to be more willing to forgive people who were in the wrong. We struggle to forgive the people who wronged us because it makes us feel superior to that person. But when we forgive those who were right, we feel inferior to them.
2. “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” – Ginny Weasley
Sometimes you just need to give yourself an extra push and remind yourself that the things in life that are worth the most tend to require the most effort, even if in the beginning it seems insurmountable.
3. “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” – Sirius Black
It's easy to judge a person by how they treats those on the same level as themselves. It is not unusual to treat those who share our status in life respectfully. However, it is how we treat those who we do not stand to gain anything from and acknowledge that they deserve as much respect as anyone else that matters more.
4. “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?” – Albus Dumbledore
This quote can be interpreted so many different ways. To me, this quote is about how so many people try to convince you that your thoughts and feelings don't matter, but just because something is happening inside your head and only you can see it, does not mean that it is not happening to you.
5. “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.” – Luna Lovegood
In the end, everything will work out for the better even if it did not turn out the way you wanted or expected it to.
6. “Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.” – Albus Dumbledore
People tend to push pain away and avoid the feeling because it seems like the easier option. But the pain will always be felt eventually, even if it is long after the specific incident. The longer you wait to feel it, the worse it will hurt.
7. "What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does." – Rubeus Hagrid
We spend a lot of time worrying about the future, but time continues whether we want it to or not. Some things are just out of our hands and all we can do is make the most of what we can control and let the rest of it be.
8. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.” – Albus Dumbledore
This is very similar to the previous quote -- it is easy to get caught up in where we want to be and what we want to achieve in the future, but it is a lot more challenging to live in the moment and let everything fall into place. If we spend all of our time looking to the future, we may miss out on what is right in front of us.
9. "Always." – Severus Snape
One simple word that has so much meaning behind it.
10. "The ones who love us never really leave us." – Sirius Black
I saved the quote that has resonated with me the most for last. Even after our loved ones have passed on, they will always be protecting us and watching over us. They will always be with us wherever we go.
