Depth.

Just the way the word rolls off the tongue when spoken in the English language gives the perception of endless black voids. Initially it reminds one of death, death with a hard p in the middle. And isn't death, deep? isn't that what death is? An endless black void, from which there is no escape? Perhaps, although that would be quite depressing. Because could the word depth not also be used with an endless vision of pure white light that is never ending and continues way beyond the human perception? 

And then of course, one cannot forget the ocean. The word depth is typically used when describing those areas hundreds of miles from a shoreline where undiscovered species still linger, and the water becomes so black that even the fearless do not venture there. Yet even with that depth, one merely has to swim back into the light by going up, then they reach the sky. Which has it's own depth, but not in the same way...

When you consider depth, and how deep you're willing to go, do you lean more towards the black void? Or is it a clear bright white expanse that never ends? 

Neither is wholly bad, nor are they wholly good. They just merely are. They are deep, and anything could be discovered in those depths.

My childhood ended with Harry

"The stories we love best live in our hearts forever"  

~ J.K. Rowling

The first book in the Harry Potter series was released in 1997, when I was only four years old. However, the books did not begin to gain popularity until late 99 early 2000. At which point I was a 6 year old boy. Somehow (I don't remember how) at the age of 6 I found out about this book and wanted to read it; however, my mother was skeptical as to whether or not I should read it, due to my young impresionable age. So, she read it first, and once she decided it was not about satanism or devil worshiping she concluded that I could read it, as long as I understood that it was a fictional book and was not real. Which I did. So at 6 years old, my mother and I started reading the first Harry Potter book together. Thus bloomed my love of reading and overall love of the series. As the years went by J.K. Rowling continued to release books, and I continued to eagerly await the release of the next book in the series.

In a sense I grew up with the novels, with the characters themselves. I was around the same age as the characters as the books were released (especially further into the series, because I aged quicker than the books could be released). And I remember the many adventures I went on with Harry, Ron, and Hermione with great fondness. While yes they are merely characters in books, I would consider the three of them to be some of my bestfriends growing up. (for you non-readers this may sound really weird... however, if you love reading the way I do, then you understand exactly what I am saying!) The three of them, as well as many other characters will always hold a special place in my heart. And the best thing is, the memories I made as I went on adventures with them will always be accessible to me, because I can always just pick up the book and re-read it! (which I have done many times over with the entire series!) And for those of you that do not enjoy reading the way I do, or understand how it can take you to places you could never actually go, I am deeply sorry. Becuase you will never be able to understand the place the novels and stories I have read over the years hold in my heart. You will never understand how it has helped to define the man I am today.

To me Harry Potter represents a huge part of my childhood. Many of my childhood memories I can associate with Harry Potter. Such as how while I was reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix my dad left me at a service station. He left me there for over an hour without even realizing that he had. And I didn't realize it either, because I was so caught up in my adventure with Harry and friends as we broke into the Ministry of Magic to find the prophecy. I remember laying in bed at night when I was 6 years old, reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone with my mother and devoloping my love for not only reading, but also my love of learning and words. I remember having several birthday parties going to see the movies as they were released. I remember making special trips to Gastonia (which was a huge deal when I was in elementary and middle school) in order to go to Books-a-Million to pre-order and purchase the books. I remember laughing out loud and being filled with such a feeling of triumph and joy when Molly finally killed Belatrix whie defiantly exlaiming "not my daughter you Bitch" (possibly my favorite line from the entire series). I remember spending hours at my grandfathers side watching the movies with him when I would spend the night (because we would always stay up as late as possible when I spent the night, and watch movies all night! We would watch westerns for a while, and then we always had a Harry Potter marathon. Or at least watched 2 of them). So many memories from my childhood go hand in hand with Harry Potter. And as J.K. Rowling said "the stories we love best, live in our hearts forever." And Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart.

The reason I say my childhood ended with Harry, is because as the final novel/movies were released, I ended my high school career. I turned 18 and started to have to grow up. As Harry went on his last adventure, I was also pursuing my last adventure as a child. I was graduating high school, preparing to leave my parents and go out and make my own way in the world. So in a way it seemed perfect that the series ended when it did. Because the characters I had grown so fond of, were at the same stage in life as I was. As there schooling was ending, as they were becoming adults, so was I.