I Open at the Close

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore engraved a cryptic message on the Golden Snitch that Harry swallowed in his first quidditch match: I open at the close. It took Harry many grueling days to figure that one out, until the time came, on the Final Battle at Hogwarts, that he let all his guards down, eventually unveiling the answer to the message: I open at the close.


Perhaps it is like that in life. Life's a bitch, in that it throws problems at you, as if you were an indefatigable super hero who can handle anything. Probably, your instinct would draw you to find ways to solve the problem. You think of how to reverse your circumstances, veering it on uncharted territories that you thought were the solutions, only to be tugged down by overgrown aquatic plants in the dark marshy waters.

Then you get angry, even doubting yourself, thinking, "Why me?" You feel like breaking down and throwing a fit and pulling your hair, wondering why everything seems so wrong in spite of all the things you did to make the problem go away.

But it doesn't go away. Instead, the more you fight, it seems that the more the problem becomes bigger. You constantly fight for a battle that cannot be won by simply sheer boldness and cleverness. You stare at the large blank wall of your dilemma, wondering what you have possibly done to deserve such predicament, even obsessing over the need to regain your happier life.

Eventually, you fall on your knees, arms hanging at your sides, head bowed, then you pray, "Lord, the Supreme Being, I offer all my worries, my pain, my suffering to You."

And just like how Harry bravely walked to the Forbidden Forest, welcoming Death like an old friend—surrendering to fate, to the will of the Supreme Being (in a muggle's case)—he got what he deserved at the close of the battle: all three of the Deathly Hallows, being the Master of Death.

When problems arise, let it all go. Surrender to God—to whatever Higher Power that you believe exists. No matter how much you try, how much you obsess on finding the solution to your problem, understand that there are things that only come when you just leave it aside, leaving it all to a higher power. And when you do, the dark skies will open up to a better day.

I open at the close.