Saying Good Bye to Harry

Tonight the final Harry Potter film will be released at midnight.  My family will be going to the 12:30 AM show. I'll be in Logan canyon visiting another Girls' Camp.  When I first realized the scheduling conflict, I was really bummed, but now I am OK with it.  I plan to see the movie tomorrow afternoon with some friends.

But I didn't want to write about my dilemma with the timing of the screening of this movie.  I want to write about my attachment to Harry and the magical world he inhabits.

I came to know Harry in about 1999 or so.  The Sorcerer's Stone was published in the US the year before, but I was a little slow to catch the Hogwart's Express.  But once I read that first book, I was hooked.

It was a classic Hero's Tale.  The fact that Harry was an orphan, unwanted by his extended family, who discovered he had special powers and gifts only made it more heroically literary.  He leaves his dismal upbringing where he never felt accepted and was brought into a world he never knew existed; a world where he was an iconic figure, beloved by all who had heard his story of triumph against evil.

The following six novels only cemented my adoration of this world, this parallel universe filled with colorful and imperfect characters.  Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione were honest and sincere, though flawed and human like my own real life.

For the next decade or so I lived vicariously at Hogwart's, experiencing the adventures with the trio and looking for the clues that would give Harry the ultimate edge over the evil Voldemort.  During this time, I was able to share this fantastical world with The Girl and The Boy--though The Boy accepted it grudgingly, as he had to read to know the story.

When the movies were released, The Boy and Genius Golfer caught up with The Girl and I in our magical world.  Even better, though, than the movies, were the audio books read by actor Jim Dale.  I fell in love with the story all over again as I heard him voice the characters so distinctly and enthusiastically.  My iPod is filled with all seven audio books--filling more memory space than the music files I have on it.

I thrilled at the final installment, where good finally overcame evil.  And though I was sad to know the original story was complete, I could imagine what the characters were doing, outside the books, as though they were actual people.  I loved the conclusion, and the hope it gave the characters to lead happy, love-filled lives together.

Now the final film is being released.  I feel like the conclusion bringing up all those sad completion feelings again.  I only hope my imagination will be fired up once again as I contemplate the joy these adolescent literary friends have brought me over the years.

Goodbye, Harry, Ron and Hermione.  Thank you for all the good time we have shared, and the escape you offered my mind and imagination.  I wish we lived closer.  I hope to see you again, in the not so distant future.  In the meantime, I'll reminisce with our mutual friend Jim Dale, who tells the absolutely best stories.