Alexander Richter

Why Do I Love Harry Potter?

July 1st, 2019

The world of Harry Potter has contributed a great deal of happiness to many people. It has created a community that welcomes anyone. With the creation of Fantastic Beasts, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Harry Potter is the idea that we can all carry our imagination firmly into adulthood. That the thoughts we had as children are never too childish to abandon, and I think that’s powerful. Powerful because our world lacks the amount of imagination and creativity that it needs. I say with certainty, that when people explore a love for Harry Potter it ultimately makes the world a better place.

Now the character of Harry was one that I had very little in common with. I lacked the physical appearance (although I greatly resembled that of Draco Malfoy), had both of my parents living, and did not live in Little Whinging, a fictitious town in Surrey just south of London. We did however share the uncertainty of a new world and aching for it’s true purpose. Harry encounters many situations that each one of us do in life: the death of family, being different from the status quo, and living up to people’s expectations. That’s something I adore about the character, he is just as human as we are. He isn’t rich, doesn’t have super powers, isn’t the most popular person in school, and doesn’t always get things right the first time. All of these I can admit to sharing.

During my childhood I had a strong imagination, and I used that imagination to establish worlds that I found in my favorite children’s books. Lucky enough for me, I was raised on a farm that had lots of land to play. This land gave me the space to do whatever I wanted. It was during this period of time when Harry Potter entered my life. I quickly learned to love the books. Even going a step further to reenact scenes from the story in my backyard. I was convinced that these stories were written for me. I remember having friends over and dressing up as our favorite characters, mine was always Harry. I had his house robes, his replica wand, and even a can of black hair paint so that I could look like him. Those were the best of times. Thankfully, my parents were very supportive in this period of time.

The films first entered my life at the age of five. My sister and cousin were headed off to the premier of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and although I was absent from the screening, my sister gave a detailed review. At that moment I hadn’t realized how much of an impact it would ultimately have in my life. Sorcerer’s Stone would be the only movie from that point forward that I missed. I went to the premiere of all the following movies (often seeing it multiple times). Stretching ten spectacular years, I grew up with the films. I matured with the films and entered adulthood when the series concluded just as the actors had. It was sad to see the final film, as I knew something truly special had ended, but I was grateful that I could have been a part of the phenomenon from the very start.

Something I value greatly about this franchise, are the themes that J.K. Rowling incorporated. Friendship, love, and sacrifice to name a few. The friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione taught me that friendship is the strongest bond that any person can make with another. Friendship was something to trust, and something to value close to your heart. The theme of love in the story was done in a way where sacrifice became necessary. It was after all Lily’s love for Harry that saved him from He Who Must Not Be Named. It was love that made the story of Harry Potter possible. Love is an element that all humans look to find. Love is something worth sacrificing over. I did not understand just how important love was to the world around us until Harry Potter taught that to me.

The question I’ve received the most times from other fans has always been what my favorite book in the series is and without a doubt it’s book three. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban hit me at a rough patch in my life. I was the age of nine, and started to become more aware of the world around me. My innocent idea of the world was slowly being muddied away. I started to experience fear for the first time and realized that eventually I’d have to grow up and face those fears. Just like Harry does in the story. Another part about book three that ranks it number one is the message about depression. Rowling has expressed that the idea of the dementors came from her constant depression and although I didn’t understand the concept at that age, I could feel the darkness enter my life. Depression is something everyone struggles with at some period of their life, and the story shows us that it isn’t something to lose hope over. It is something to fight and push forward against. Albus Dumbledore said in the screen adaptation, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Although book three is quite darker than some of the other books, I believe it to be the best.
When I entered adulthood I, without knowing, was slowly abandoning my imagination. I forgot about Harry Potter, the childhood that I created, and the person I truly was. It was not until years later when I reread the first book that I realized I was missing something important in my life. It was at this point that I reread the series, rewatched the movies, and entered the community once more. It was also at this moment where I would finally determine who I wanted to be for the rest of my life; A writer. From that point on I’ve welcomed back my true self, and wiped away the person that society wanted me to be. Each day writing gives me a nostalgic feeling from my painted black hair and robe wearing days. I can smile knowing that Harry Potter was at the nucleus of it all.
In closing, Harry Potter is just as brilliant as the mind behind it and her mind is brilliant. I think it’s one of the reason I can connect to it so much. J.K. was at a point in her life when she made a decision, took a risk, and showed the world her dreams. I think that if anyone is to take anything from this it would be this statement. J.K. Rowling will leave this world better than when she entered it. Don’t we all want to leave the world better than it was before us? Whether it’s with literature, music, or perhaps just some honest kindness. The world has truly benefited from Harry Potter, I know that I have and I am truly thankful for her story telling.
Happiness

June 28th, 2019

People will argue that not everyone deserves to be happy, but I would disagree. Everyone deserves happiness at some point in their life, if not all throughout. Happiness is such an important concept for individuals to achieve because ultimately that is the human goal: to achieve our desires, to have the ones around us to share those successes with, and to be able to worry less and live more.

What are the basic qualifications one must do to meet this goal?

First, we need to understand what happiness is and know that it does not have a uniform meaning or message. It won’t be the same for everyone.

Happiness is the feeling of warmth around one’s heart and the enjoyment of constantly knowing that they’re doing the best that they can.

Happiness is different for each person and there is no universal definition as to what brings us the feeling. There are several things that make me happy but only a few that top them all. They include exploring with the ones I love, creating memories with my family, and finding a good inner relationship with myself. These things make me feel complete and provide me with peace.

Now more people than just myself could agree that those things make them happy as well, but do they have to meet those requirements to be happy? No, those are just things that bring my individual happiness. As a person needs to find what those are for themselves. No one has the ability, with confidence, to tell another what to do to make them happy. (I dare not try).

How through suffering we can find a deeper meaning

Through out life we are hit with events that stray us from the path of happiness. These events persuade us to think that it is truly impossible to be happy. Events as stated could be the loss of a loved one, losing your great job because the economy tanked, or getting into an accident that leaves you needing to take care of yourself medically. You can agree that these events are forms of suffering and misfortune.

Suffering, like happiness, is a point of view. We can look at terrible events and learn from them in a healthy way or we can simply do nothing. Understanding why things happen will ultimately change our lives forever, because you’ll never find that answer. There won’t be an explanation.

When a parent loses a child, that parent believes that all is lost. And although I believe no parent should have to bury their child, our world is cruel and wicked. The parent of a lost child will suffer but ultimately they will need to decide what to do next. They can forever put themselves in misery about what happened or they can make their child’s life meaningful.

My father passed away with cancer, and I ask myself often why he deserved that diagnosis. He, himself, asked that same question but there was never an adequate explanation, even from his doctors. As of lately, my happiness has dramatically dropped. I feel gutted on the inside. And what little feeling I have left inside me, is pain. It’s easier to let that pain consume me, but I know, now, in my heart that my father would have never wanted me to live a life of misery over this. Instead, he would have wanted me to enjoy life, smile, inside and out, and honor my wife and family. As hard as it is without him, and truly it is hard, I know that he will always be with me on the inside. And I find happiness in that thought.

Everyone deserves to be happy, but deciding what kind of happiness we want is the real question. We can search for a truer sense of happiness that lies in much more complicated things.

When you understand that happiness is a fluid, ever-changing and diverse concept, which applies to everyone in unique ways, you will gain the best piece of evidence to show yourself that you’re onto something special.

Enough of that.

Cheers,

Alexander
All you need is love, love is all you need

June 24th, 2019
The Beatles caught on to something interestedly special with this song. As I get older, I find myself thinking about the meaning behind this song more often. When I first heard the song, it was on my father’s “louder than required” home stereo, and I just recollect the smirk on his face. Once the song was finished, he turned to me to see my expression. I had a grin from earlobe to earlobe. Wow, what a great song! I thought. That’s where a true love for the song originated, with my father.

In twenty-three years of life, I’ve seen the crueler side of people. Strangers who yell at you, who are aggressive, and verbally damaging to your moral. As if you don’t already have a feeling that the world has lost all of the good bits. Sadly, you only come across this more and more everyday you grow up. This brings peoples guards up which can result in surface level relationships, back stabbing, and gossip. Don’t you ever want that to stop? Is your guard up constantly from previous verbal trauma? The only sort of cure or remedy that I’ve discovered is love.

Love is the most powerful and complicated sensation that exists. It binds us all together and it could tear us all apart. It’s fragile, delicate, and requires a bit of nurturing, but it’s rewarding. Rewarding in the way that you’re surrounded by people who cheer you on in life’s difficulties. A support system that truly heals the body and mind. Love can make the cruelest person modify their behavior.

Everyone must think that we are meant to be surrounded by other people, and when you see people who choose to isolate themselves you should ask yourself why. Why is that person choosing, perhaps not willingly, to separate themselves from everyone? Isolation can breed into many other things: hate, insecurity, and pain. Why would you want any one to go through that, let alone at your own hands?

The answer to the question could lie in the very environment that surrounds you. Ask yourself these three questions:
1. Do people around you lift each other up in support?
2. Is there negativity or toxicity that prohibits people from showing their emotions?
3. And finally, how are you treating others around you?
If any of those answer make you uncomfortable, then you need to correct it right away. Why should anyone have to deal with those kinds of feelings? It’s painful and leaves scares that in time will hurt themselves or others.

I’ve always found socializing tremendously difficult. I’m awkward, weird, and I don’t live like most people my age which makes it difficult to have a relationship that exists deeper than the surface. But I want to do things differently. I want to put love into this world and never leave a situation where I wished I should have acted differently. I want to put the time in to a relationship that is bound by love.

I’ll leave you with the following question. How much love do you see in your world? Could it possibly benefit from more?

I know that my wife and I travel uncharted seas into the unforeseeable future, but we know that love is all we need to make it through.

Cheers,

Alexander

Why Do I Love Harry Potter?

Happiness

How through suffering we can find a deeper meaning

All you need is love, love is all you need