Laundry, Netflix, and a Bit of Sorcery . . .
I came home from chaperoning a dance this weekend to find a surprise from my husband—a show added to my wish list on Netflix. It was a movie about J.K. Rowling’s life . . .I know, you’re thinking that’s the lamest surprise ever, but for me, I was pretty excited (mostly that he knew who J.K. Rowling was since he never reads and only goes to Barnes & Noble for Fiji water and biscotti). After a never-ending round of laundry, homework, and chores, I found some time to plop myself on the couch and give it a whirl, expecting it to be good but probably not totally riveting.
I was completely and unabashedly wrong.
I’ve always known that J.K. Rowling’s tale to success was a winding one. A single mother on welfare when she penned Harry Potter, she never expected to be successful. She is truly the epitome of the rags to riches story, the never give up on your dreams story, and the hard work will always pay off story.
The Netflix special truly captured all of these sentiments in a very relatable, likeable and non-corny way.
From showing the real life inspirations for her writing to showing her failures along the way, the movie really reminds us all that you never know where life will take you. I liked how humble she was. There’s a scene where she sees a bookstore stocking the front window and she says to her daughter that it’s “bloody unlikely” that Harry Potter will ever see that window. I love her unassuming nature. I also love that, in hindsight, it’s almost comical to see her doubt her writing and the impact it will have.
I think it’s moving to see that a writer as amazing and impactful as Rowling had her struggles, fears, and doubts. She shows that if you’re writing for the right reasons (because you love it), you truly can’t lose. If you write from the heart, people will know it.
Writer or not, Rowling’s story also reminds us that you never know when your life can change suddenly. Even when things seem impossible, even when you hit rock bottom, you never know what exciting development could be waiting up ahead. What a strangely inspiring thought to hang on to. Moreover, her story shows that sometimes dreams have to be balanced with reality. Rowling wanted to write Harry Potter, but real life demanded her time as well. It took years for her to finish writing, get published, and make Harry Potter a household name. She reminds us that balance is key. As she writes in Harry Potter, “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
Our dreams don’t always happen overnight. Sometimes, the dreams we are after won’t even happen at all or won’t unfold in the manner that we planned. However, if we want something badly enough and we put enough heart into it, sometimes life throws a little bit of magic our way.
