My Tribute to Harry Potter

I was 10 years old when on a weekend trip to Salt Lake my Aunt Barbara loaned me two books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. From then on, anyone who knows me knows Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life, and still is something I love almost more then anything. As each new book came out Harry had grown to be about the same age I was at the time. Some of the things he went through, I went through (minus the whole magic and evil part!) Every summer and every time a new book came out I would re read the entire series. If you could see my 1st book now you would know it's been read, the binding is ripped, pages are falling out. But I love it. I have no idea how many times total I've read the books but the way J.K. Rowling writes I just can't put it down. I'll never forget holding back tears as I read the end of the sixth book. I walked outside to tell my Mom and sister Heather I'd finished it and burst into tears as soon as I said I was done! I'll never forget the last book release party (Picture above) Devri Redford, Shalene Summers and I threw out all of our dignity and had a blast dressed as characters waiting in line at Walmart to get our copy of the last book in the most amazing series ever written. And most recently as I finished rereading the entire series this year, I won't forget sitting in my room in my apartment reading the last 50 pages or so of the book with tears just streaming down my face. I have become so attached to the characters in this book that it is an emotional rollercoaster for me.

But now it comes to the movies. Most of you that have watched the movies with me probably hated it. I hated them. The acting was horrible, they changed so many things and left out so many things from the books that it made the movie unrelatable for someone like me, someone who knew every detail and story. I hated them so bad that I wouldn't even see the sixth one when it came out. But my friend convinced me I needed to watch and and needless to say I didn't hate it. There were a few things different, but it was better then any I'd seen. And because I'd heard the newest one in theaters was amazing I couldn't contain myself anymore. So last night all my roommates, our friend Tyler and I went and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1. One word sums it up. Wow! I laughed, I screamed, I cried my eyes out, and I loved it! Of course they have to leave some things out because it's a movie but everything else they did was top notch and amazing. If I could I would run right back to the theater and watch it again!

So J.K. Rowling if I could ever meet you I would love to just say Thank You. Thank you for giving me a world beyond my own, for giving me characters I could cheer for, characters I could love, and characters I could hate. Thank you for showing me the power of words on a page! And thank you for Harry Potter.