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I Submitted this short essay to Oprah for her Harry Potter show

I started reading Harry Potter when I was 11 years old, I know it was meant to be. As a child, I began to love books, and reading with a passion that not many other children my age could understand. I went to the library often, read every afternoon, and read as soon as I finished my school work. After awhile, my classmates began to tease me, and I hid my love for reading and books. During high school, I felt a little more comfortable with myself and began to read in public much more. I was still teased, but I thought to myself that if I'm getting teased about anything, it should be something that is intellectual, exciting, important to me, and fun. In high school I did find a few teachers that helped me develop my love for reading. They brought new books and authors to my attention, and helped me expand my limited view of the written word. I also met my husband during high school, and I knew he was the one for me as soon as he told me that he loved reading the Harry Potter books as well. Every year a new Harry Potter book would come out, and I would reread the previous books and then read the new one. I would read the comments posted online about the books, and comment back. Once I started college, I majored in Adolescent Education with a concentration in English, and realized that my love could be turned into something that I could do for the rest of my life. I was lucky enough to be able to discuss new literature with students, and help them appreciate books and reading like I did. For me, my future started the first day that I read Harry Potter, and realized that being different isn't necessarily bad. Like Harry Potter, being different has its ups and downs, but when you are who you are, you are free to live your life to the fullest and happiest. I owe some of my happiness to Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, without those books I wouldn't have been brave enough to be different.

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