I found this draft I wrote 2 years ago but never posted. It says “Last edited on November 30, 2010 at 3:41am!” Ah, insomnia can be quite productive at times. But that could also be why I forgot about it for a while. Or was it the Confundus Charm? Who knows, but here goes!
I recently watched Oprah’s interview with J K Rowling. It was so fascinating to me because, while I had read all the books, seen all the movies, and seen several interviews and specials with J K Rowling, I’ve never seen her open up about things and talk with ease as she did in this interview. Props to Oprah, who went to Scotland, and met her in the very hotel she finished the 7th book in.
It was touching to hear her talk about her mother, and how it was because Jo loved her and the fact that she died is what made Harry Potter what it is today. Her view on God was interesting too. I had felt that the theme of love conquering all, and the ultimate love being a self-sacrificing love, even to the point of death, and ideas like resurrection were very present in her books. I think that part of the reason her books are so popular is that those truths resonate with all of God’s creation. The other side of the popularity, in my opinion mind you, is that Jo’s comment on the appeal of magic is that you are the one who is empowered to make things happen and shape your world. Everyone, in some way or another, admires and desires empowerment to control circumstances in their lives.
I have struggled with my draw to the wizarding world Jo created because of God’s Word that says to have nothing to do with sorcery or witchcraft. There were things in the books that made me feel a little uneasy at times, and downright scared to the point of having scary dreams, and the movies only scared me more in places even though I knew what would happen, and yet Jo’s skill at story telling, kept me glued to the pages. Her characters, her way of wording and invention of words, all convinced me I had become a fan of brilliant British writers. Not that I’ve had time to read much lately, but my favorites so far are J. K. Rowling, Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Looking back, I think the main reason I kept reading the books was to figure out more about the character Snape. Of course I wanted to know what happened to the other main characters, but the intrigue of Snape… I don’t know quite how to describe the intensity of it!
I don’t think the Potter world is for everyone. Like I don’t think my mom would really like it because it has some scary, dark stuff in it. But since I’ve stumbled into it, I’ve learned a lot about what makes a good story, and it’s been a thrilling ride – one that I am sort of glad to come to an end with the last movies coming out. Part of me wants the story to keep going, wanting to know what else happens in that world, but part of me has been absorbed or escaped into that world to where I’d rather be there than in my own life dealing with my own problems.
I’ve discovered though, that escaping isn’t limited to Harry Potter. For a time, it was Middle Earth that I dove into. Then, there was Jane Austen’s world. I don’t think escaping into a good book or movie is bad, it’s just that the whole Harry Potter series and films have spanned over so many years that I feel ready to have closure.
That brings me back to Jo’s interview. Oprah was describing Michael Jackson’s success with Thriller being the number one seller of all time, and how he never realized it was a phenomenon he didn’t create, and he was forever chasing that success to be bigger and better, and was never satisfied. Both Oprah and Jo stated how that stuck with them – that they didn’t want to fall into that trap of chasing a phenomenon, but to enjoy it for what it was, to let it come to a close, and then move on to a totally different chapter in their lives, allowing it to be what it will be.
That made me think about my own life in regards to dancing. I never had any great success to brag about, but I had experiences I was proud of, and quite a bit of highs from it that are very strong in the forefront of my mind whenever I think of dance. I feel a sadness that those days are gone, and I think Jo and Oprah’s insights helped me realize that I should enjoy it for what it was, and to be satisfied with that. I think I occasionally wear myself out from the guilt of not wanting to keep David from dancing since he is physically able to, yet not wanting him to go without me.
I still have hopes of dancing again someday, especially because that is something I want to do with my husband the rest of our lives. The thing I am realizing that needs closure, is the hopes of dancing at the frequency and level that we were before my body broke, and before we had babies. It’s so hard to shake that idea from my head when I dream about going dancing again. But as I gain strength, and get more excited to hope of dancing again, I want it to be a new chapter. I want to move on and let be what will be.
I’m so grateful for my husband who, while he shares my sadness in not dancing, sticks by my side and makes me feel more important than going out dancing. He told me tonight, “What’s more important? A bunch of surface relationships with dance, or one really close relationship with you?”
I’m thankful that music and dance have shaped a lot of who I am today, which helps me keep perspective that I’m not completely missing out. It’s still with me today in how I listen to music, make videos and dance around the house with my girls.
Now, in case you are wondering about the title of this post, it is the fusion of Harry Potter and The Lord Of The Rings. David came up with this term from when I would geek out about either these worlds.