Friday, July 20, 2007

Deeply scarred

As I've mentioned, I'm cramming in a reread of all the Harry Potter books before the new one arrives on Saturday (in an odd twist of fate, a friend I haven't seen for years also arrives on Saturday, so I probably won't be able to read it right away. Or, most likely, I will read it in the wee hours of the morning after we have stayed up way too late already talking and drinking, and then live off of Mountain Dew the next day, only to repeat the same thing the next night... sigh....)

I'm very glad to be doing the reread, because although I can remember the major plot points, there were several things that had slipped from my memory. They come flooding back as I read, like memories of old friends.

I am also rediscovering some of the fabulous truths that are told in these novels, like in all wonderful books. For instance, this quote from p. 847 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix:

According to Madam Pumfrey, thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else...

And, of course, I am not the first person to have this revelation, but it is still so, so true; the things that we think can hurt us... the blame that we place, the forgiveness we withhold, the doubt that we feel. These things take so much longer to heal than any wound I have incurred or bone I have broken. I guess it just hit me where I am right now, in a struggle to give up some lingering thoughts that I wish would just heal already.

11 comments:

Furrow said...

I'm not feeling terribly capable of deep thought today, but you're certainly right about the emotional scars. Makes me think of a theory that someone shared today. Is Harry's scar (not Harry himself) the seventh horcrux?

I want to take my time with the 7th book (or, as long as my curioisity will let me take), so I may have to avoid the blogs of you fast readers for a little while. I wonder what the spoiler etiquette will be on TV.

Run ANC said...

I'm so excited for the new book! Perhaps too excited. I'm a nerd.

NotSoSage said...

You know, it may not be a new revelation, but it's good to be reminded of it.

Thank you.

S said...

I've forgotten almost every bit of Potter I've read.

Sigh.

Jennifer said...

I've never gotten much into Harry Potter...but I know those lingering thoughts. *sigh*.

Christine said...

so many harry potter posts! i'm so behind.

Beck said...

One of the blogs I read is written by an editor at Scholastic and she wrote today that she was sitting inches away from the boxes FULL. OF. THE. NEW. HARRY. POTTER. BOOKS.
Can you IMAGINE?

niobe said...

I hope that the scars left by your lingering thoughts heal swiftly and seamlessly.

Girlplustwo said...

isn't that exactly the truth. our own mental harbouring can be our own worst enemy. good on you for recognizing it and moving it on.

blooming desertpea said...

It hits me of how many women are in this stage of having lingering thoughts that are just NOT going away and seem to cut deeper and deeper, scarring our soul - and I'm no exception. I wish too, they would just disappear into oblivion and never come back, I really have had enough! They are here when I go to bed and they are still here when I wake up - It so seems to be a female thing, isn't it ...

Anyway, I hope the new Harry Potter is good as I didn't like the 6th that much - too dark! And my daughter added that if Harry is going to die in the last book then she won't read it.
I find Furrow's thought very interesting - could it be ... ?

Mad said...

I'm rereading too but I'm only half-way through Order of the Phoenix and it is now Sunday night. Ihave had the Deathly Hallows in hand for over 14 hours. Erg. Bye. Off to read.