Growing Up and Letting Go

Harry Potter recently ended. I grew up with Harry. I laughed with Harry. I cried with Harry. I reveled in the defeat of his enemies with him. I dreamed of Hogwarts, a castle where, like Harry, I could escape the harsh reality of my home life, and have adventures all while knowing that there was a comfy bed and warm meal waiting for me when I got off the Hogwarts Express.

I cried. I'll admit I cried like a baby. Silently, of course, as there were attractive women and men that I knew near me. I am the same age as Harry was when he defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort, and I have not done nearly as much as he had by my age.


On a slightly unrelated subject, I have come to another end of an era in my life. Let me give you some back story.

I sat down in class and when I saw her for the first time, my heart swooned. Sitting there was exactly what I needed to get over this girl I loved for two and a half years. While I was reveling in her glory, I had no idea I had just stumbled upon a fantastic friend, someone I could confine my innermost secrets to, whether she wanted to hear them or not. I fell hard for her.

She once told me that she wished she could return my affections, that I would be the perfect man, but that she would be unable to be with me because being with me would not be a risk, and she had learned to settle.

When I first read that, I thought that it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said about me. I reread it a couple of times, and thought that it was slightly insulting.

I have a correction. I would NEVER be the perfect man. Seeing how happy you are when you are in his presence, the playful glances you two give, the pure joy you get from standing in the rain with him and with me tagging along as a third wheel, proves that I can never be what he is. He is the perfect man for you, and as I realized this while microwaving a sandwich with cheddar in the middle because I was too lazy to make a real grilled cheese, I felt complete and total serenity, knowing that you will have someone to love you and take care of you for the rest of your life.