User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4137900-20110712015853

To me, Harry Potter means several things. In a few words, friendship, loyalty, magic, faith, and... Most importantly... Love.

When I was just nine years old, I began reading the Harry Potter series after I had watched the first movie in theaters. The books helped me learn to read, write, and better perform in school. They also helped me when my father passed away; I suddenly felt like I wasn't alone because I could just go to Harry and escape. Through Harry Potter, I've met friends from all over the world and I've learned so much from them. The experiences that came from just turning few thousand pages, reading 1,084,170 words (calculated from a google search)... They're irreplaceable to me; I love my friends I've met from Portugal, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Canada, and everywhere around the United States.

When you read a series such as J.K. Rowling's, it is easy to connect to the characters and learn life lessons from them. From Harry, I learned to never give up on those I love just because I fear someone. From Hermione, I learned that someone can be extremely smart and beautiful at the same time. From Ron, I learned to take life as it comes- even if it gets hard along the way. From Luna, I learned that being myself is better than trying to change myself just to get people to like me. The list goes on and on.

The story of Harry Potter constantly touches me, knowing that its author wrote the series from a lot of difficulties in her life. Rowling's mother died an early death, she fought battles with depression, and she had marital issues, among other difficulties. In this series, a person can see remnants of these struggles (Harry's parents died when Harry was merely a year old, Voldemort and the Death Eaters being defeated by Harry can show her struggles with depression, etc.).

This can go on and on for ages, I have so many reasons why Harry Potter means everything to me. But for now, I sum it up. :) Thank you for the opportunity to enter and good luck to any entrant. May the luckiest win!