As I mentioned in my last post, I’m listening again to the first six books of the Harry Potter series. I’ve just started the fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix, which until I read John Granger’s Unlocking Harry Potter was my least favorite of the series. After reading Granger’s explanation of how the book fits into the bigger picture of the series, I find it much more interesting. It’s still dark and depressing, but there’s a reason for it. And that’s a great lesson to remember. Any situation is less stressful when it has meaning, when it is related to some important purpose or mission. Harry feels angry and alienated at times in this book because he feels left out and doesn’t understand what is happening. He even feels helpless and useless.
Fortunately, in our own lives we can discover what our own life purpose is and do something to reinforce our commitment to it. Even if we can’t always change external circumstances, we can always change our reaction to it. Taking a lesson from Harry and stepping back to see the bigger picture of our lives can be invaluable.
