Considering that Harry Potter is fresh on my brain because I was just introduced to the lovely series, I decided to write on it.
I know, it’s crazy, right?
Most 90s kids grew up on Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Some of us, however, weren’t given the joy of experiencing such a glorious nerd dream come true (#PreachersKid).
Until now.
And my, is it ever the Utopia in comparison to all of the madness (*cough* Brexit) that surrounds us.
Now, to someone who grew up reading the original Doyle, Austen, and Wilder, this high fantasy seems, at first, much too false.
However, upon being fully immersed in the film land that is Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson’s childhood, it all seems far too good to be true.
It truly is beautiful.
And as much as I (a passionate stereotype breaker) hate labels, being identified as a Ravenclaw gives me great pleasure.
So, without further ado, here are the top ten HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone quotes, and how they relate to life as we millennials know it.
“Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed - or worse, expelled.” - Hermione.
Think about every millennial you know, and discover the common theme.
What do we want? Sleep.
When do we want it? Always.
When do we get it? Never.
Hermione, being the shining example that she is, reminds us all that sometimes, it’s best to tell your goofy friends goodnight and get what we all want—sleep.
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.” - Dumbledore.
Whilst the rest of us were watching Die Hard and learning how to be tough, the rest of you may have been laughing at Mean Girls. Either way, we’ve all seen how some terrible friends can get you into trouble. And we all probably know how hard it is to step away from those people. Doing the right thing is hard, especially when your friends want to do the wrong thing. But, if Gryffindor can beat Slytherin, we too can conquer.
“Only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten.” - Neville Longbottom.
Every math class ever. And English. And any class we’ve ever had to have a final in. We all know the struggle.
“What happened down in the dungeon between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So, naturally, the whole school knows.” - Dumbledore.
This is especially true if you grew up in a small town or with siblings, but we all know the feeling that our secrets are not ours at all. Sometimes, this is good. Most times, this is very bad and infuriating. But if Harry can be a champ about all he’s been through, we can smile and be courteous.
“There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it.” - Voldemort
Can you say #lordoftherings? At this moment, I thought we’d entered Mordor. As evil as he is though, Voldemort has a point. Power is given to all of us, and the distinction between good and evil occurs in the way we choose to use it.
“It's spooky! She knows more about you than you do!” - Ron.
I’d be willing to bet every boy band ever can relate to this line by the one and only Mr. Weasley (actually he’s like one of five but who’s counting?). But in this day and age, we millennials feel quite a bit stalked at times. I suppose we can thank some guy named Zuckerberg for that (and the girl who tweets about her dinner every night for giving us lovely insights).
“It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark. No, no. This kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin . . . Love, Harry. Love.” - Dumbledore.
Whether they’re our parents, grandparents, older siblings, neighbors, teachers, or church leaders, we all can admit that there are people in our lives who got us to where we are. And without their constant love and support, regardless of how concerned they are by our hipster fashion and liberal ideals, our generation would be lost.
“Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself.” - Sorting Hat.
Out of all of us I’ve met, I think we’re all like this. There’s something unique about millennials that has made us all pretty tenacious and stubborn. I know plenty of people are worried about our country and our world, but I think it’s in good hands. Bright dreams and plenty of audacity will get us to higher ground—morally, politically, and perhaps even spiritually (hello third Great Awakening!).
“It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.” - Dumbledore.
This is by far the best. We all have a goal, a dream, a plan for our future. And while God holds them all in His hand, we must never forget that we are all where we are for this season for a reason. Living is, after all, what life is all about. So let us never be so focused on the sun’s bright horizon that we miss the flowers blooming beside us.
