Ok well this is actually weird and I prefer to warn you right away lol..
I'm going to speak about the positive effects of Fantasy stories. Especially, in my case, of
Harry Potter and The Lord Of The Rings.

(Before you read this. Know that the author of The lord of the Rings is called J.R.R Tolkien and that of Harry Potter is called J.K Rowling)

So of course I'm speaking about a personal experience and I have no idea what these 2 stories mean to anyone else. Maybe nothing or maybe as important as they do to me..


Anyway, you see when I was much younger I was a loner (still am of course)..
And being a loner meant to things:

1-I obviously didn't spent much time with friends
2-I was kind of isolated from everyone else, someway or another.

This sounds very negative but I've been thinking about it and talked about it with a friend of mine (mr Joe)..

You see, I consider myself different. Different from everyone else. We're all different of course and no one is exactly the same. But I felt my difference and, in some way, still do.

I used to spent the vast majority of my time doing nothing, absolutely nothing, else but read or watch lord of the rings and harry potter.

I used to read Harry Potter before going to school, think about it while at school and come back from school and read some more. Of course, a real addict. I didn't pretend to do spells or anything. But the world of Hogwarts was on my mind 24/7. It was like I really really wanted to be there. Reality was so horrible/boring to me that I used to go on my bed, close my eyes and imagine myself repeating a random scenario from the story. For example, I was Harry trying to go and save Ginny. Or I was Harry trying to flirt with Hermione (my own scenario :p). When I was about 12-13, the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione followed me everywhere! If the movies didn't come out and burst my bubble. I'm pretty sure I could have actually convinced myself that they really existed.

Now Lord of the Rings. Anyone who was in my classes during my Ain Najm years (my first school) and knows me at least 1% knows that I was an unbelievable Lord of the Rings freak. The movies more than the book as I was a little young to really understand the books.
Check out my old website (still exists) and notice the theme lol

http://www.tolkienworld.piczo.com (and the name of course !)


I learned the Elvish Alphabet! (forgot it now) and used to know how to speak in full sentences like a real Rivendell Elf!

Rivendell and the Shire were, along with Hogwarts, my dream places. It was like I actually planned on going there sometime in the future!
I must have seen the 3 movies at least 100 times! and I'm not exaggerating!
and read the harry potter books also 100 times! and Again, not exaggerating at all..


So what's positive about this? All we can see is a geeky kid (which I of course was) who is literally obsessed with two fantasy books. Well guess what? I actually grew up quicker than anyone I know thanks to these two stories and, most importantly, I was able to successively escape from the process of adapting to society. A process that everyone my age goes trough ...

I never followed fashion, never though positively about the idiotic Lebanese politics, never tried to impress girls with my muscles (which I had lol) and, most importantly, never tried to be someone else! I had my moments of weakness of course but they are very few.
Why? Fashion didn't exist in the Tolkien World or in Hogwarts! And it was stupid for an Elf to try and be a Hobbit! (which is true in real life as well).. And who needs to impress girls with muscles when one has a magic wand?

lol I know this is very weird. But everything about me that you might know right now. As in a Buddhist, a Vegetarian, an Anarchist and a Poet is the direct/indirect result of my being addicted to these two stories. They were part of me and I was part of the stories!

It's still weird to explain but some how I'm convinced of this. I don't know how it affected my future Buddhism, future Vegetarianism or future Anarchism but all I know is that it did.


For the Poet part, there's no doubt about it. Words come very easily when I write. Whether English or French. I simply get a pencil (or on the pc) and write ten pages of poems without a draft or anything. That's because my imagination got bigger through the years.. And how? Yes..
Nothing else but lord of the rings and Harry Potter made my imagination that way. I literally owe my poems and, to a larger extent, my spirituality to two simple but powerful stories!
The many languages and the genius world that Tolkien invented will still impress me until my very last breath. The great familiarity of Rowling's Characters and the simple and beautiful world she created will do the same..

You see, when I try and remember my past. I tend to always think of LotR and HP. Before even thinking of my friends or my past dogs. So I guess it's the fact that I was able to escape (And what an escape!) from the madness of society that - I think - I was able to speak with people from unbelievably different cultures as if I always knew them! It was impossible for me to be a racist or a xenophobic or an anti-Semite or anything cruel.. I just couldn't.. and I'm dead serious when I say that it was thanks to these two stories. Not the Bible, not the Qur'an... But actual fantasy books!
There was no room in my mind for hatred or for other Voldemort-like thoughts! lol

It's fun to rethink of past events that affect my present way of thinking.. For example, when I was small I used to get angry to the utmost level anytime I hear support for Hitler. Why?
Hitler hated Jews and Hitler killed Jews, right?
Well Voldemort hated Muggles and Voldemort killed Muggles.

I could never understand how some friends of mine were anti-Semite. It was like - subconsciously - I felt I was harry trying to defend the muggles. Trying to convince the wizards that Muggles are our equal! That must have been how it went in my head and I love the funny sound that is associated with it :D

If I become some famous intellectual when I grow up and I'm asked: "What was your first inspiration?", I'll answer: "Albus Dumbledore" and I'm very serious..

Before the Dalai Lama, before Buddha and before Krishnamurti.
Fictional characters allowed me to see reality. How's that for a weird story?

That's it for now.. ! This is just a thought. I have to think more deeply about it because I'm really convinced that anything *special* that I'm able to do is related to Harry Potter of the Lord of the Rings.




Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.


I Solemnly Swear that I Am up to no Good
Mischief Managed!


Hannon le (thank you)

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