User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4145791-20110714061649

Harry Potter is more than just a book series. The sheer magnitude of its influence across our generation alone is astounding. From the moment my 4th grade teacher read us The Sorcerer's Stone, my eyes were opened to the values of love, bravery, and determination. From these novels, I’ve learned that love is the strongest bond any two people can share. Even in the darkest and most hopeless of times, love conquered all the evils thrown at Harry, proving to be the most powerful emotion we possess. People of the 60’s had The Beatles tell them that “all they need is love”—well in our case, we have JK Rowling deliver the message. There are countless of examples in the series where bravery pushes someone to stand up against what is wrong, no matter how easy of a way out it may seem. Growing up with this, I’ve learned to stand up against the wrongs in our world, be it discrimination or injustice, because letting evil happen just so happens to be an evil in itself. And finally, the determination of one woman who battled through depression and poverty in order to make her dreams come true—that alone inspires me that despite any obstacles thrown in my path, as long as my determination is strong enough, I can make anything can happen.

We are a magical generation: stirred by love, inspired by bravery, driven by determination—these are the roots of our childhood. Growing up with The Boy Who Lived taught my generation these valuable life lessons that have followed us into adulthood, motivating us to better ourselves, along with the world we live in.