User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4172715-20110720022650

What does Harry Potter mean to me? It can mean anything. I started reading the books when I was 4 or 5 and the first thing they taught me was to love reading. At such a young age I was entranced with the world Harry lives in and how magical it was. (I don't think I'm the only person who will say they were sorely disappointed when the owl missed my house on my 11th birthday!). For most of my life, Harry had meant the world to me. His story has taught me how to be kind and selfless for the people I love, and how to accept responsibility for my actions. I believe that because of the series, I have become the person I am today (which I personally don't think is a bad thing). This series has inspired me to be everything I can, and help others do the same. I can't count the number of times I've endlessly encouraged my friends to read the series because it is so important to me. I know I've said a lot already, and at the risk of sounding repetitive, I have one more point to make. Earlier this year I had someone very close to me pass away from cancer. It truly was a horrible time for me and my family and I felt empty, sad, and angry for a long time afterwards. A few months or so after she passed however, I was watching Prisoner of Azkaban with a friend, and as Sirius is about to leave Harry at the end of the movie, he said something that really stuck with me: "The ones we love never really leave us". This line, if anything meant more to me than I can possibly describe in this post. It carried a bittersweet message and it helped me accept the reality of losing someone you love. Because, even though they are no longer physically with you, that doesn't mean they are gone for good and, in a way, this thought comforted me more than any words of condolence or heartfelt sentiment could. So, since I've probably exhausted my posting, Harry Potter simply means the world to me. It taught me about life, death, and friendship, and I couldn't have asked for a better teacher. Thank you Jo.