“She needs to sort out her priorities…”
Always remember to keep your priorities in check
On Wednesdays, I will offer a reflection on a quote.
Today is September 1st, the day when many children return to school after summer vacation. In parts of the US, many students have already been back for weeks by the time September rolls around. For me, September 1st will always remind me of the Harry Potter series. In the series, September 1st is the day all Hogwarts students descend on King’s Cross Station in London, run at the brick wall between platforms 9 and 10, and use Platform 9 3/4 to board the Hogwarts Express. It always made me laugh that in the series, time is fickle thing, as September 1st is always a Sunday and the the first day of class is always Monday, September 2nd. It must be the magic.
I did not enjoy the Harry Potter series at first. My younger sister’s class read it as a read aloud, and I thought it was meant for younger readers. She finally wore me down and I fell in love with the series. I read the first book when I was 10, a few months before I turned 11, and the final book came out a month after I graduated high school. The final movie came out a month after I graduated from Marquette. As a Millennial, I grew up with the series and characters. One of my favorite characters from the beginning was Hermione. I loved how smart she was, with just the right amount of sass. Today’s quote was rewritten for the movie, but the sentiment remains the same.
“I hope you’re pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed - or worse, expelled. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, page 162
The quote always stands out because Hermione holds academia to such a high standard - even, apparently, above living. While it is easy to laugh, it is also important to see how it remains a lens to view our own priorities. Our priorities are rooted in the mundane day to day, rather than magical three-headed dogs named Fluffy. During the pandemic, our priorities have been tested. Boundaries between work and home are blurred with technology and expectations. We are told to take care of ourselves and take time away from screens, while sitting through webinars over Zoom. We extend grace and compassion to everyone we meet, yet we don’t give ourselves grace to grieve all of the lives we have lost or to recover from a set back without apologizing for something outside of our control.
Take Hermione’s advice. When you reach the breaking point, stop. Take time to rest. Go to bed, and start fresh the next day.
Here's a fun fact...I read the first HP book when you were in my fourth grade class. It was recommended to me by Will Hoskings and his mom, who read it together. I loved it so much that I had Wendy Allen get me books 2 & 3 when she was in Wales because they hadn't been released here yet. ~Kris (fellow Ravenclaw)