Magic by Will Stanton

For some of you, please bear with me for just a moment. Today's topic is Magic, and what easier way to start the conversation than with some references, using them simply as a preface to my main thoughts, references to the currently very popular books and movies about Harry Potter. We can't be more magical than that. Anyone who knows him is well aware of his great magical powers. After my preface, I'll then tell you about a few of the things I would do if I possessed such great powers.

Harry's special powers came about by, first, his having been born a wizard, not a mere mortal (or "muggle," if you will.) Then he honed his skills and learned many more by attending Hogwarts School. During those several years, he also gained from practical experience utilizing his magical powers. Then finally, author J.K. Rowling writes that Harry had acquired the three instruments of great power: the Elder Wand (the most powerful wand in the world), the Resurrection Stone (with which one can bring people back to life), and the Invisibility Cloak (which hides the person possessing it from Death.) Harry could be the most powerful wizard in the whole world.

Rowling then writes that Harry, admirably demonstrating his modesty and his wariness of any one person possessing such vast powers, tosses aside the Resurrection Stone and then breaks and discards the Elder Wand. Good old Harry, modest and of good character right to the end. Logically, however, there was a precedent of someone possessing all three instruments of power without having abused such powers, Harry's own friend and headmaster Professor Dumbledore. He had those great powers but apparently did not abuse them.

Harry might not have been able to bring back all those good people who died at the hands of the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort and his minions, but at least he could have helped to heal the many injured and traumatized. With a mere flick or two of his wand, he could have rebuilt Hogwarts that had been left in shambles after the last confrontation with the evil hordes. I can think of so many additional, magnanimous uses of such powers.

Yes I admit, if I were Harry, I would have done a few minor things for myself, too. Why not? For example, why not fix his eyesight so that he would not have to go around with those eye glasses that always seemed to become broken? Then, now that Voldemort is gone, he might get rid of the lightning-scar on his forehead. There was no need to go around the rest of his life with that mark of evil. And, how about unobtrusively growing an inch or three, considering that Harry was so short? (I'm talking about his height.)

Now getting on with the supposed reality, this poor world seems always to have been plagued with hordes of evil Lord Voldemort, those persons who have caused death, trauma, and great destruction. Some start wars or otherwise engage in various levels of violence. Crime is rampant. Lack of empathy and civility permeate humankind. So many people seem to be prone to continually creating toxic levels of fear, suspicion, intolerance, and hate merely by their words, words that seem to drip with acid. One such character in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" was known as "Wormtongue," a singularly appropriate name. I guess that such evil is why Canada has outlawed one American television network from opening an affiliate in Canada. Canada actually has a law against networks lying. Amazing! I wish that the U.S. had such a law and it were enforced. The world and our own nation suffer from such people on a daily basis. Oh, how I would like to do something about that if only I had great magical powers!

How I also would like to eliminate illiteracy, ignorance, economic hardship, the sad decline of culture and society, including the lamentable failure to raise a huge portion of our children so that they become well prepared, happy, and productive members of society. There is so much that needs attending to among humankind.

Even without the deficiencies and destructiveness of humankind, the world itself has plenty of troubles: global warming, natural disasters, disease, and possibly an asteroid or meteor crashing into the earth. The powers of nature and the universe appear to be overwhelming; however, some good, solid magic might be able to tone down the impact of such troubles, even if just a little.

I know that we all are supposed to accept reality, to not engage excessively in fantasy; yet it is easy to understand how many of us do see what is and wish how things could be, and then possibly become frustrated. There are some people who do have sufficient abilities and truly influential positions where they might make some positive differences. Unfortunately, such positive people are few and far between. For the rest of us poor souls, however, slipping into fantastic thoughts and wishes can become rather attractive. Oh, Harry! Where are your powers when we need them?

© 22 August 2013 

About the Author 

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories.  I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones.  Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group.  I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting.