For Hannah and Harry

So this weekend was my dear friend Hannah's birthday (that's us last week. She looks lovely. I look a little under-caffeinated). Anyway, Hannah and I have a long tradition of seeing Harry Potter movies together the day (or night) they are released, but this year we decided to incorporate Harry into her bday festivities. Sunday saw us at the theater, goodie bags in hand. Our friend Anne had the great idea to create our own candy collections based on the sweets offered at Honeydukes. We used Jellybeans as Bernie Bots Beans, Lemon Lollypops as Acid Pops, Gummy Worms as Candy Slugs, etc. It was so much fun picking up and labeling all the different treats. It reminded me of what I absolutely adore about Harry Potter: the joy I get from participating in the world. I always have the same feeling leaving the theater as I do finishing a book. I feel just a little bit magical, like the world is just a little bit more enchanted and that my role in it is to do something that, well, matters. Sounds cheesy, doesn't it? But I remember sitting in the cafe in Edinburgh where JK Rowling wrote Harry's first adventure and declaring to the world (or perhaps the slightly frightened barista) that one day I, too, would become an author. There must have been a little magic around because what do you know? It happened.

So here's to Hannah. May all your birthday wishes come true (especially the big, ridiculous, magical ones).

XO,

R