Harry Potter - The End of an Era

This weekend marked the end of an era. The era of Harry Potter. An era where children and adults had a common language and a common love. A period that saw children become adults. A time where a book brought multiple generations together.

My mom loved Harry Potter. I remember going to Walmart with her at midnight to purchase at least one of the books. Mom was struck by the number of teenagers at the store. These kids who were now grown, still excited to read a book. Not see a movie, not play a video game, but to actually read a book. When is the last time that has happened? Has it ever?

My parents, especially my mom shared with me their love of books. I love to read. Anything, everything I can get my hands on to read. My mom let me read whatever I wanted to and encouraged my curiosity. I barely remember, but she told me a story once about me asking to read "The Exorcist" when I was about 8-9 years old. She told me I wouldn't like it, but handed it to me anyway. She said I soon handed it back to her and said it was gross. I still haven't read that one. I read my first 1,000 page book when I was 11 or 12. The "Mists of Avalon" is still one of my favorites. "Gone With the Wind" is my all time favorite. The romance of it and the tragedy. I have always seen myself as tragically flawed, and I have always hoped one I wouldn't be that stupid and two someone would love me like that despite me being tragically flawed.

I didn't start reading Harry Potter until the fourth book came out. I was teaching literature at Mildred ISD. All the kids were reading it and I felt left out. I picked it up over Christmas break and fell in love. It has been a honor and privilege to share it with my friends and family. It has brought us common ground. My mom loved the books and movies. I had a big plans to go see the final movie with my family in honor of mom. Mom would have loved for us to all go together. Too bad the little shit got tickets to the midnight show. Plan blown. Oh well, I don't blame him. There is no way it could have meant the same to him as it did to me. To me, it was a last chance to do things with the "kids." The kids aren't kids anymore. They are young adults, and going to be going off to college in a month. I thought how perfect, we could all go together and celebrate one last big thing before they leave and officially grow up. At the same time we could do something together that mom would have loved.

It's an end to an era is many different ways. Goodbye to childhood. Hopefully Harry Potter will continue to cross generations and bring families and friends together in a joyful celebration of the written word.

Farewell Harry and friends. I will miss you. Thank goodness all I have to do it open a book to see you again in my imagination. Then I can watch the movies.