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LadyHealingHands Vice Captain
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 Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:57 am
 My friend Hans from harrypotterforseekers sent this to me. May I ask each and everyone of you to send in a post to give us your answer? This question is a goldmine for beautiful answers! I'd love to get this discussion going, so please participate.
"On Friday Alla posted a very beautiful and profound question:
'What would have been different in your life had Harry Potter books never existed? It does not have to be anything monumental, I mean these ARE just books, but any change will do.'
Alla also sent this question to HPforGrownups and got some exquisite answers. We all love Harry Potter so obviously it has made a difference to our life.
No matter what our beliefs, our age, our experience, we can ALL answer this question! And thanks, Alla for sending in this lovely question.
Love from Hans"
Please spare a few minutes to share your thoughts about what difference Harry Potter has made to your life. We'd love to know!
I look forward to your posts, everyone!
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:15 am
First post!
reserved. =P
[still under construction]
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Harry Potter has made me delusional. Seriously. o.o
My favorite books have always been Sci-Fi. Or alternate dimensions. Or something like that.
But then...came Harry Potter! =O
I loved the plots, and the whole realistic-ness of it--the way JK managed to fit the whole story neatly with the real world, while creating a whole, completely fictional world.
I didn't really get obsessed until xuebiii introduced me to HP fanfiction, then I got really hooked. =P And I found this guild! =O
And now I'm delusional. Sometimes I mutter spells under my breath to try to do something, and it's like, whoa, did I really just say that...? XD
It's pretty interesting. I think the best part of HP isn't the plot--oh no, the plot is a bit boring, really, and the generic good vs. evil thing, but the setting. Rowling created a whole new world! And it's really possible, too. Not that it exists...but I can dream, can't I... XD It's completely new, and fits perfectly into the world we live in now. All we need is...a stick of wood and a bit of magic! (yay) Unlike the other books I read, which are completely different universes, HP is easy to relate to (though I've got to say, the ideas are totally far-fetched).
Also, fanfiction has helped teach me how to write! Surprising, yes I know, given that fanfic writers usually have about 10 spelling errors every 10 paragraphs...but the whole creating-a-plot and using dialogue thing has taught me a lot. Especially because I suck at writing... o.o
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Yep. I'll write more later, I'm out of time...
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:12 pm
My life without Harry Potter - wow. How bare it would seem! I've been an avid fan since I was about seven, which is a long while, since I'm basically twice that age now. Without Harry Potter I'd be less of a reader, and I probably never would've started writing for fun. Also, I wouldn't be obsessed with Rupert Grint, so my agenda wouldn't have him all over it and I wouldn't spend hours YouTubing him and I wouldn't dub myself Julli Weasley/Grint. What else? Well I would've never met you guys, and that would suck. I wouldn't have so many HP posters on my wall and I wouldn't have ever read fanfictions! So many great things in my life would be missing, let me tell you. Harry Potter is a huge part of me now, and without it I just wouldn't be me.
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:24 pm
Since Harry Potter has been such a big part of my life, it is hard to imagine how I’d be able to live without it. I think right now is the first time I’ve ever thought about Harry Potter like this, which is strange…
My vocabulary would be different without Harry Potter. I’d never be interested in Latin because I would never have heard the spells. Speaking of Latin, it’s a course I’m taking in High School. This helps my English vocabulary, as lots of words are derived from Latin.
Since JK describes a world that is so different yet the same to ours, you spend a lot of your time imagining what it would be like, which is what I do. So far, I’m not a big fan of reality, so without Harry Potter; my life would be empty, boring, normal…sad even, or at least, I think it would be so.
Now for a more serious matter, there are hard times in one’s life, when they need someone or something to rely on. For me, I turned to the best thing I could find, a good book. One that would keep me away from reality for a few hours at a time, which is what Harry Potter, did.
This creative and exciting series helped me get closer to my cousin, who’s also a big fan. Other than a common interest and being related, we have nothing in common, yet we can still talk/IM for hours. This leads me to tell him about other things in my life etcetera, which, without Harry Potter would not be possible. I’d basically only share my feelings with my diary, as hard for me as it is to admit that.
Many other things would happen differently, looking for gifts would be more of a hassle. My family and friends would not know what to get me for Christmas/birthdays. Not to mention that I wouldn’t be as close to some of my family members.
Oh, and I guess it amuses me that without the Harry Potter series, I’d be someone who has not read any books. In conclusion if Harry Potter never existed, I’d be missing out on something I’d really enjoy and get obsessed with. But I’d never know that. biggrin
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:44 pm
I guess if Harry Potter never exsisted, I would find something else to obsess over. This could have been Anime, just like my friends. I would almost have to say that Harry Potter has kept me a geek and I am proud to say that. I went through a stage right before I started to read HP that I was obsessed with make-up, girly things, and lets just say, "preppy" things. I don't like that person that I was because I don't like Preppy's. At least at my school. I am almost afraid that I would have dumped my friends to go hang out with my preppy friends. I have realized now that my "non-preppy" friends are my best friends in the world. Also, this is odd to say, but I think, now that I actually think about it, helped me in school. Reading HP has made me read a lot more books. That means I am actually loving books for the first time in my life. I do all my book reports which give me good grades. I relate things to Harry Potter which make me remember them, so I do better in school. Without Harry, I think my grades would have looked like my freshman year, really bad and I like being my geeky, afraid not to do my homework, kid. I also would have never met you guys and you guys are amazing and I don't know what my life would be without you. This is a lot more emotional that I thought it would be.
I guess what I am really saying is that Harry Potter has made such an impact on my life that it would be completely opposite that it is now and I don't think I would ever want that. I don't know if I could ever truley have as good of life as I do now without Harry Potter. Wow, I never realized what kind of impact Harry Potter has had on my life. 
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:05 pm
*reserves* Gosh, I'd post right away, but there is so much to say. I will edit later with my thoughts.
I wonder if LHH can award herself points for an amazing thread? =3
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:35 pm
If Harry Potter never existed, I would have had nothing to fill those lonely hours in the library where I first picked up the books. The Harry Potter books got me through some really tough times in my life. My mom was on drugs, wel ived in a horrible town and I had no structure in my life. Reading those books brought it to me. If it weren't for them, I would be a complete mess. I wouldn't be able to function. I would still be reliving things I've finally gotten over. I might have done something really drastic to get rid of it all. I'm glad the books were there to help.
Thanks, Harry, for everything you've done for me. (Ahh...That sounds a little corny. sweatdrop )
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:22 pm
Hmm, lets see...
If the Harry Potter series was never written I would still hate reading with a firey passion, and most likely not be working in a book store. I think I'd also still have my low self-esteem. Hahaha, I also would have been drawing/doodeling during Sophmore Year's World History Class instead of sticking my nose in a book(s).
Honestly, Harry Potter helped me out a lot. It helped me overcome my fears (both, everyday fears and personal demons) and showed me that there are gonna be troubles, and great sadness in life but things will get better. All because of love and friends. It really pulled me out of a really bad self distructive rut.
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:20 pm
I think if Harry Potter was never written I would still not to like to read. My grades would be low. I have also made alot of friends. I would also not be watching it right now on TV. Harry Potter has helped me alot. I know feel like I know things that people in my family dont know. Now when ever somebody needs to know sometghing about it they just ask me and I know the answers. One of my best friends I met through talking about Harry Potter.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:56 am
If there were no Harry Potter I would have probably not met a lot of my friends. Nor would I be online as much as I am. I also probably wouldn't write as much as I do. I mean, I love writing, but I write fantasy, and most of my fanfictions usually have to do with Harry Potter in someway. Harry Potter is one of my obsessions, and I am happy to have it, but I don't think my core would change very much. I think my friends wouldn't be quite so annoyed with me if there were no HP. XD
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:49 pm
If Harry Potter never existed I think I probably would never have been the same person than I am now. Harry Potter has always been a constant in my life, without I feel empty. sweatdrop I would have never gotten into reading, which led me into higher grades in school. I probably would never have met my best friend, who loves harry potter as much as I do! Life would have never been the same. The books and fandom have been there for me when I was at my worst. They made me happy and not depressed. Like I said, Harry Potter is not just a fad for me, its part of my life.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:19 pm
I probably wouldn't read as much as I do now...
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:04 pm
The change in my life would be major.
I would not love to read, as I do now. I would not like to write. I would not be friends with the people I am currently close with. I know everything about me would be different, as it all begun with the first Harry Potter book for me. And I do mean it all.
I hated to read before I read the first Harry Potter book. I was not the best in school or anything. I am still not good in all subjects, partly because I read a tad too much, but that's another point entirely.
If the books had never existed, I would not want to be an editor and novelist. I would have no desire to read or write or edit, which, looking back, would be quite the tragedy.
I would probably not have the beliefs I currently do. I am not pagan, but my believes have changed due to what I have read in all book concerns and the friends I have. And most of my friends stem from liking Harry Potter.
One of my very best friends and I would never have begun talking if I hadn't have posted something concerning Harry Potter on myspace and gotten made fun of for it. So really...my entire life would not be as it is today. And I pretty much like my life, for the most part. I have imagination, a love of reading, writing, and debating. All of which would not be here if the books had never existed.
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:47 am
Cerbera Dragon *reserves* Gosh, I'd post right away, but there is so much to say. I will edit later with my thoughts. I wonder if LHH can award herself points for an amazing thread? =3
Thanks, Cerbera, but I think that would hardly be fair, seeing as the idea really originated with my friend Hans! I'm all misty over the fact that folks are taking the time to think about their answers - no need to reserve space--you can just post when you are ready!
'What would have been different in my life had Harry Potter books never existed?"
Well, I wouldn't have the books to share in my real life therapy practice. Many of my clients would have continued struggling to express their feelings and had a harder time finding something to relate to and be inspired to heal from. I'll never forget one client who broke through his fears and shared that the moment Harry kicked away from the ground on his Firebolt after being nearly paralyzed by the thought of facing a dragon in the first task in Goblet of Fire inspired him to also break free from his past "dragons" and discover his true courage and talents.
If Harry Potter had never been written, I still would have had magic and fantasy in my life, (Diane Duane, Mercedes Lackey, Diana Wynne Jones, Tamora Pierce and many others) but I would not have met so many friends on line, both on the internet, and in real time waiting for midnight releases! I'd never have been inspired to travel to Nimbus, the first "Harry Potter Convention for Grown-Ups" in Orlando, Florida. There I realized magic was embraced by university professors, scientists, award winning journalists, etc, and I met John Granger. I was amazed by his understanding of alchemy and the hero's journey, and we had a long, delicious conversation.
If I had not gone to Nimbus, I would not have been brave or forward enough to start my colleagues reading Harry Potter. I'm proud to say I introduced many therapists and even some famous folk to the books and for a while, I had a bulk rate and a large pile of Sorcerer's Stone which I gave out as gifts, until the books became popular--and even afterwards!
And finally, I would not have been motivated to join Haven and give the Guild and genuine like hearted Harry Potter Fanatics so much time!
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LadyHealingHands Vice Captain
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