Since most of our readers are parents I wanted to share with you an experience I have had as a parent. I have been blessed with 4 children and am now getting ready to send the very last one out of the nest…This is a story about him...
When my son Jake was in 2nd grade a new author named JK Rowling had a phenomenal first book called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I had heard that it was a fantastic read for everyone but maybe a little scary for some. So I decided that it was a perfect read aloud for me and my youngest child, a way for us to spend a little time together in this busy hurried world.
We read it…and, of course, we loved it! We talked and talked about the characters, the setting, what it would be like to go to boarding school, what it would be like to know magic and on and on. When we realized that there was to be a series we were exhilarated. We were so wrapped up in Harry’s world that we read those books as soon as they came out and joined in the world wide excitement of what would happen next to all of these characters that we so loved and admired.
By the fourth book Jake was reading them on his own and encouraging me to read them quickly as well so we could discuss and remember the fun of each story. When the movies came out we always made a date to see them together and we always got the DVD as a present for some occasion.
When Jake went on to Haverford Middle School Hogwarts and all that came with it helped both of us stay close to each other. As I am sure most of you know, or will know, 7th graders are not the easiest group to talk to! But when all else failed I could always bring up Quidditch and talk about his sports or Ron and Hermione and get a conversation going about his friendships. As the years went on we would compare Haverford High to Hogwarts and his favorite and least favorite teachers to Professor Snape and Dumbledore.
And then in the summer of 2007 it happened…JK Rowling published her last Harry Potter and my Jake became a high school senior. My heart took a stutter step. Where did the time go? Just as Harry was about to begin a new journey as an adult so was my boy preparing to finish his last year at home.
Of course, he ran and got the book and stayed up all night reading it. And ,of course, he bugged and bugged me to read it too. But, I just couldn’t bring myself to end the story…either Harry’s or Jake’s I guess.
Well, Spring Break gave me the time…and I made him a promise that I would finish it. At 3:00 AM on the Wednesday of Spring Break I closed the Harry Potter Book and there was my Jake sleeping beside me on the couch just waiting for me to complete the journey. I woke him up, and we laughed and talked about the glorious experience he and I had shared for so many years. And probably for the very last in my life, he let me tuck him in!
When I went to bed I couldn’t help but be sad that the book and that part of my life was over but so very, very grateful for time that my boy and I had talking about his life… while reading about another little boy and his life. The opportunities that Jake and I had to talk about what is important or kind or smart or safe to us were immeasurable thanks to a boy and his magic…honestly, I think we were touched by that magic!
Graduation was June 9…College is no longer a dream…my nest is empty...my Elvis has left the building!
