Harry Potter has always been an important part of my life. Growing up, my older cousins would read the book and when they were done with it, they would hand it down to me. I even went to midnight premieres of the new movies with my family when I was in elementary school! I've read every book at least twice and have seen the movies dozens and dozens of times. Over the course of my life I've come to realize that J.K. Rowling is a literary goddess. She has one of the most incredible imaginations and the fact that she personally interacts with her fans makes me love her even more. I've compiled a list of some of the most important life lessons I've come across while either reading one of her books or watching it brought to life on the big screen.
1. "We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." -Albus Dumbledore
2. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies; but even more so to stand up to your friends." -Albus Dumbledore
3. "Anything is possible if you've got enough nerve." -Ginny Weasley
4. "Numbing the pain for awhile will only make it worse when you finally feel it." -Albus Dumbledore
5. "Do not pity the dead, Harry, pity the living. And above all, pity those who live without love." -Albus Dumbledore
6. "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." -Albus Dumbledore
7. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light." -Albus Dumbledore
8. "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." -Albus Dumbledore
9. "If you want to know what a man's like, take a look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." -Sirius Black
10. "The truth-- it is a beautiful and terrible thing and should therefore be treated with great caution." -Albus Dumbledore
11. "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Albus Dumbledore
12. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." -George Weasley
13. "The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed." -Albus Dumbledore
14. "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." -Luna Lovegood
15. "It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more." -Albus Dumbledore
16. "People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than for being right." -Albus Dumbledore
17. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." -Albus Dumbledore
18. "You're just as sane as I am." -Luna Lovegood
19. "It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be." -Albus Dumbledore
As I re-read these quotes from my favorite series of all time (most of them happen to be from Dumbledore- what a great guy), I can't help but feel nostalgic about the first time I read the books. Although I learn and notice something new every time I read them, I will never forget the incredible feeling I got when I read them for the first time. So thank you, J.K. Rowling, for not only making my childhood magical, but for leaving me with these incredible words to live by.
