I Open at the Close

Even today when I think of this phrase from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, I can’t help but just marvel at the brilliance of J.K. Rowling’s profound words and the depth to which it can touch one’s soul.

I am a complete Potter head and from time to time, when life just gets too difficult to handle, I find escape routes to slip into the magical world of Harry’s and figure out the answers to some of life’s mysterious situations. In case you are not a Potter fan, then let me help you with some context here… Harry Potter, the boy who lived, felt like his life finally had meaning when he discovered that he was a Wizard on his 11th birthday.

But strangely, magic is not always about a “wish and flick”. Little did Harry know that his life had a deeper purpose to serve, to save the wizard world from the shackles of evil Lord Voldermort and the price he would end up paying would be the loss of his family, friends and his own life itself!

The phrase I Open at the Close appears on the golden snitch which Harry had won during his first Quidditch match and the same was handed over to him in Dumbledore’s will. Harry tried everything possible to reveal the contents that were hidden inside the snitch but all in vain.

However life has its own ways of throwing answers at you.. but only when you are READY for it! In Harry’s case, the ‘close’ meant his readiness to sacrifice himself to the wrath of Lord Voldermort and his ability to overcome his fear and finally submit to his fate. Only then did the golden snitch magically unlock itself and present the Resurrection Stone to Harry which ultimately went on to protect him and help him win over Lord Voldermort.

So.. why am I saying all this to you?

Often life gives us many difficult situations, it could be either heart breaks, it could be a career downfall, or it could also be the loss of a loved one.. but there is always a reason behind all the adversities that happen to you. It places you in an uncomfortable position and forces you to come out victorious. Quite often what we perceive as the end, is merely the inkling of a new beginning.

‘You Open at the Close’ of life! When you let go of the fears and inhibitions, you begin to see the answers that are hidden amidst all your trials. Suddenly it all makes sense and you feel an overwhelming sense of power within you.

So when the going gets tough and you are on the verge of giving up, just wait and life will surprise you and give you the power to magically sail through the difficult times. Remember, surrendering is never a measure of cowardice, it just means you are letting life follow its natural course.

But before I end this piece, I am going to leave you with another profound yet brilliant quote by J.K. Rowling…

‘We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”