Harry Hurray!

I don't think many other people post about finishing the Harry Potter series. Does this mean my life is meaningless and shallow? Naw, I'm sure it means something, but not that. Anyway, with grandsons Jaxon and Kade, and sons Kimball and Shane as my main encouragement, I finished the entire seven book series today! It's true I'm not a fan of the sappy Twilight books, but I found I am a fan of the exciting, action-packed, suspense-filled, jewel-encrusted Harry Potter story. I wonder what experiences of J. K. Rowling's enabled her to write these sentences, that mirror one of my own hard-won life lessons:
"Harry kept quiet. He did not want to express the doubts and uncertainties about Dumbledore that had riddled him for months now. He had made his choice while he dug Dobby's grave, he had decided to continue along the winding, dangerous path indicated for him by Albus Dumbledore, to accept that he had not been told everything that he wanted to know, but simply to trust. He had no desire to doubt again; he did not want to hear anything that would deflect him from his purpose."

I ordered book seven from the library immediately after I'd read book six, and as Colin was walking through the room I asked him how he'd endured having to wait a year or more between the release of each book back when he and Shane were caught up in the series. In a quavery old man's voice, he said, "Back in my day, we didn't have the next book, we had to be patient." Funny sonny.

We topped the day off by attending the Saturday night session of stake conference together, Dan and I. Having him beside me at church is a rare occurrence indeed, and one that I deeply appreciate. With valentine's day coming up tomorrow, the theme was love. I liked this quote our stake president included in his remarks from a talk called "Love All," by Elder David B. Haight, printed in the Nov. 1982 edition of the Ensign:
“The full and essential nature of love we may not understand,” wrote Elder John A.Widtsoe. “But there are tests by which it may be recognized. “Love is always founded in truth. … Lies and deceit, or any other violation of the moral law, are proofs of love’s absence. Love perishes in the midst of untruth. …Thus, … [he] who falsifies to his loved one, or offers (him or) her any act contrary to truth,does not really love (him or) her. “Further, love does not offend or hurt or injure the loved one. … Cruelty is as absent from love … as truth is from untruth. …“Love is a positive active force. It helps the loved one. If there is need, love tries to supply it. If there is weakness, love supplants it with strength. … Love that does not help is a faked or transient love.“Good as these tests are, there is a greater one. True love sacrifices for the loved one. … That is the final test. Christ gave of Himself, gave His life, for us, and thereby proclaimed the reality of his love for his mortal brethren and sisters.”

See, I told you I'm not shallow, not all the time, anyway. I have learned to love not just because, but also despite. And that's something I'll never finish working on, because I know that love can be eternal.