While working in St. Louis, MO in my early 20’s a coworker handed me the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I hadn’t read a book since elementary school.
For some reason, I took the book home and shocked the hell out of myself by reading the entire thing.
I was hooked and proud that I read a book. I called my grandmother who was a former English teacher and told her. I think she was as shocked as I was.
She immediately went out to find anything Harry Potter she could. She knew my despise for reading and was really wanting to support anything that got me into books.
It became our thing. Every time a new Harry Potter came out she got me a first edition or as close as possible. It was cool and something we really shared.
Through the years I geeked on the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
When my brother’s kids got into reading early in their life I made sure they got into Harry Potter as well.
See, Harry Potter got me into reading and opened a whole new world to me. I actually like books. I could get lost in the stories.
I began reading a lot more even completing the “Wheel of Time” a 14 book fantasy series where the average book is 800+ pages long.
In business, reading had the answers and books became my mentors.
This past week my niece was fixing to head off to Texas Tech to start her freshman year.
Before she left she asked if we could get Harry Potter tattoos.
I hadn’t had ink since leaving the Marines and why not be there when she got her first. The fact that they were gonna be Harry Potter was a salute to my journey, my grandmother and my niece starting hers.
I was all in.
We came up with designs and picked out an amazing artist.
Both of us wanted the Deathly Hallows, it’s the symbol of Harry Potter and a main piece in the story. The triangular Deathly Hallows symbol is comprised of the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.
Her tattoo is done
My first round is done. I’ve got another 4 to 8 hours to go.
Oh, my wife got hedgewig carrying my letter too.
Harry Potter is an amazing story of good against evil. Light vs dark and downright magical.
I am proud of my niece and excited for her journey.
To all who read this, stay close to your geeky stuff. You know that stuff you hide from the world because your afraid of what they might think.
That geeky stuff brings you joy and finding people who geek out on the same thing brings your tribe.
You can’t chase life by hiding who you really are.
“You’re a Wizard Harry Potter”
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