Michael the Sailor

Me and Sailorman Michael Feliciano at my 3 yr anniversary

I am an overly emotional person. It is just my make up of who I am. My high level of emotional capacity gives me a great deal of understanding and empathy. This morning I was at the Dunkin Donuts getting my coffee and when I walked in, there was a woman in army uniform in there. My eyes filled with tears. No I was not sad. No I was not frightened. Now I was not feeling pity. I was feeling gratitude. Such gratitude overcame my entire body. The week of my 4th Degree mock test, a similar instance happened, where I followed Mr. Valentino down to south Jersey and a group of men and women in military attire were walking past. My eyes teared up and I beeped my horn and saluted them.

I admire and have great respect for anyone in our military. Army/national guard, navy, marines, or the air force. Civilians do not understand what they go through for this country, what they do for this country, what they give up for this country. These individuals made a choice. Whatever reasons they made their choices, they made a choice. And with that choice, I have deep and utmost respect and honor for each and every one of them.

My grandfather was in the marine corps from 1953-1957, my BFF room mate Kristin Barrett was in the national guard, my Uncle Rudy Trento was in the Korean war, a childhood friend of mine Erik Filipek went to West Point and is in the army now, and I am sure there are people I have come across and never even knew they were in our military.

One of my closest friends in the world and fellow Friar of Old is Julie Feliciano. We trained in the martial arts together and she has a younger brother named Michael. This past winter, Michael made the most honorable choice of entering the U.S Navy and went for his bootcamp training. Julie and Michael are very close and we spoke many a time during his period of absence. It was very hard for her, although she was very proud of him, as was I. His two nephews and niece are also students of mine, and I've known his mother since I was their age!

Julie and her mother sent letters and pictures just about every day I think. Then after a few months they all drove, I think to Chicago, for his graduation of bootcamp. They were so proud, and so was I. They reported how great he looked, and you was a totally different person. But even more so, he had this great warmth and sense of responsibility that comes with being in the service that was so recognizable.

SO when I celebrated my three year anniversary, I got to see Michael for the first time. He came in uniform, he stood tall and proud, and my eyes welled up. I was so happy to see him, and for a special occasion too. He looked fantastic. He seemed to be taller than I saw him last time, but he was glowing. He told me how much he loved what he was doing, but he missed home. He told me how proud he was to be a sailor. He mentioned how he was home for a few weeks and then would be flying out to some country he was not allowed to say where.

And of course at the beginning of my anniversary class, my students always bow to the flags, and then they bow to me. But we did an extra bow that day. I made the entire class face Sailorman Michael Felicano, and bow in respect. It was an honor and privilege to have him there at my school. Any person who serves our country in the military deserve the highest respect. People do not realize the work they do and what some of them go through. And sometimes our society needs to realize we may not support the decision our politicians make for our country that involve the troops. You don't have to be for or against any war, but always support our troops.

I am so proud of Michael. This is one of the greatest things he has done for himself in his life, and his country. His sister Julie is proud, his mother is proud, his nieces and nephews are proud, his whole family is proud, and I am proud too. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

Benny and Burns

Famous comedians and famous BFF duo: Jack Benny and George Burns

"People have often asked me if Fred Allen and I were really friends in real life. My answer is always the same. You couldn't have such a long-running and successful feud as we did, without having a deep and sincere friendship at the heart of it."

-Jack Benny

"The happiest people I know are the ones that are still working. The saddest are the ones who are retired. Very few performers retire on their own. It's usually because no one wants them. Six years ago Sinatra announced his retirement. He's still working."

— George Burns

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago on famous BFFS and the influence they have had on me and my own personal perspectives on friendship. The back story is that I wrote the entire blog and accidentally deleted it. I was so irritated at myself! So I rewrote the blog and forgot such an important duo that I felt, I guess I am meant to write an entire blog dedicated to their friendship! After all, it is a very famous friendship.

Both men had very successful careers, making it into show business. Before television and "motion pictures" (that was the word for movies back then folks o__O) there was vaudeville. The two men worked they way into the industry and then with the reign of Lucille Ball, who made television popular, the two men made their way to television making them very popular.

For over fifty years these two men were the best of friends. Everyone who ever watched them knew of this dynamic duo and could see the love and affection they had for each other, but worked magically together professionally as well. I used to watch old shows and videos with them, and seeing them together was always a huge laugh.

It was reported that Jack Benny only needed to look at George Burns and he would bust out into laughter! Burns was known for his cigars in hand, and Benny for his awful violin playing. Everyone in the industry had a George Burns-Jack Benny anecdote. When George Burns had troubles with his wife and professional partner, Gracie Allen, he confided only to his best friend Jack Benny. When Jack Benny's health was failing, he gave his work to George Burns. Even in life, they tag teamed for each other.

They say George Burns had two loves in his life. His wife, Gracie Allen, who always got the laughs in their professional act that lasted so many years. Her unexpected death was a grave trauma for Burns. The other was Jack Benny. When Benny died in 1974 at the age of 80, George Burns reportedly said "Now life is really going to get lonely.." Burns couldn't even finish his eulogy at Benny's funeral, breaking down in the middle and couldn't go on.

The story that Jack Benny told about George Burns on hundreds of stages throughout the world and the one that seemed to tickle him most went like this:

"I was living at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis and George Burns was following me into the theater there. He closed in Chicago a day early, and one Saturday morning, my closing day, he arrived at the hotel and phoned up from the lobby. Now George could always make me laugh, and I could never make him laugh, so I wracked my brains trying to think of something funny to do. I took off my pajamas and stood on top of the bed absolutely nude....and I put a book on top of my head, held a glass of water in out outstretched hand and a rose in the other. Now, wouldn't you think that would make a funny picture and George would have to laugh? Well, he must have suspected something because when I heard a knock on the door and said, 'Come in,'..., he sent the maid in! Now, how do you tell a maid that you're waiting for George Burns? Until I opened my mouth she thought I was a lamp...an Italian lamp...an old Italian lamp...."

Here is an excerpt from a book written by Irving Fein about how the two always had a good laugh together:
"When the Jack Benny show and the Burns and Allen show became leading radio programs, the four stars moved to Hollywood, where they could star in motion pictures at the same time. They quickly became a part of the Hollywood social set and were invited to all the leading parties. Even there George always played his little pranks on his friend. One time they were at a party given by Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM studios. After dinner the guests were told to come to the music room, where chairs had been set up and MGM's singing star, Jeanette MacDonald, was to perform. As they entered the room, George whispered to Jack, "Now remember, Jack, when Jeanette MacDonald starts to sing, it would be very impolite if you were to laugh." Jack started to bite his lip to keep the giggles from escaping. As Miss MacDonald approached the piano, George continued to mouth his admonition while staring directly at Jack, and at the first note there was a loud roar from Jack, who rushed out of the room followed by George, who also collapsed in the hallway.

"In 1961, he did it again. Jack and George flew to England for a command performance which was attended by the queen mother. The stars were to meet the royal family after the performance, and as they lined up for the presentation, George leaned over to Jack and whispered, "Now when you meet the queen mother, be sure you don't laugh when you shake her hand."

"As the queen mother walked down the row of stars, Jack tried his best to look away from George's riveted look, but those fixed eyes were like a magnet, and poor Jack started to bite his lip as the royal lady approached. She extended her hand to Jack and said, "I enjoyed your performance very much, Mr. Benny," and miracle of miracles, Jack didn't laugh. He was so intent on biting his lip that he couldn't even thank her for the compliment."

Another one of my favorites was when Jack Benny was on the Dean Martin Roast. In his final speech, he acknowledged how everyone knew his best friend was George Burns and they have been friends for so long. He tells a story about how he and George watched an X-rated movie. And they both fell asleep. But then when they went to go see The Sound of Music they sat on the edge of their seats and hand in hand walked out of the theater humming the tunes. You can't help but laugh.

Best friendships like this are precious and dear. And they do exist. These two were masters in their trade, fantastic professionally, but kept a true and loving friendship together. I used to love watching them together when I was young. And it's admirable to know of such a well-known friendship like theirs. Keep the best of your friendships strong and pure like these two. Be there in the worst of times, share the best of times, hold true the most important values, and always make time to get good hearty laughs in together.

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

P.S Look at this video from the Dean Martin Roasts, where you can see first hand this beautiful friendship, only the first 3 minutes:

Mike Lee's Seminar

Me with the founder of the Haganah F.I.G.H.T system, Mike Lee Kanareck

There is nothing better than to learn from the founder of a system. Imagine working with Bruce Lee, the founder of Jeet Kune Do. General Choi the founder of Taekwondo. Godric Gryffindor, the founder of Hogwarts. Whoops! Went to fantasy world there for a second! But Mike Lee Kanareck lived no fantasy. His system is real, it works, and it's always ten times more brilliant to hear it from the horse's mouth and see the brilliance in action.

I have been warned by people that Mike Lee is a straight forward, no sh*t kind of guy. He's blunt, can come off a bit crude, and I don't think I have heard so many F-bombs in one place at a martial arts event. But I was prepared! Haganah is a mixture of a few Israeli martial arts such as Krav Maga. It is a very militant martial art and survival is the name of the game. When it comes to survival, you have to brutal, and you have to be cut throat, literally.

Mike has been there. He knows what it is like. He shared stories that would shock you if you experienced what he was, or witnessed what he has. But underneath that rough and tough exterior, he was truly a brilliant intellectual who had some fantastic philosophy and critical mind.

Watching Mike Lee instruct in his system was truly an experience and honor. I love watching a master at work.  I won't give many details of the seminar out of respect for the information he gave at the seminar (If you want it you should have came to the seminar!!) but I do want to point out some amazing underlying philosophical views that really resonated within me from Mike Lee.

He drew a pyramid like structure of the systematic way we should train for a fight. It would involve a lot of tactics, strategy, and tools. One thing he said was "You must always manage the fight, or the fight will manage you." You don't want to be right behind one enemy and not see the rest, but you also don't want to be the guy far away to see the whole army, you'd rather be the guy up in the sky in the chopper managing the operation.

But he brought up, whether people at the seminar picked up on it or not, a broader view of this. He amended his statement to "Manage your life, or your life will manage you." It was there that I saw his pyramid for trainng was not only structure for the F.I.G.H.T system, but a map for life within itself. From preparation, to movement, to managing, it went deeper than most would see.

He also had two things that were hard for me to accept, and I would have loved to have an intellectual debate about them. He said he hated the word "plateau" in this country. No one ever plateaus he said. People just reach their maximum capacity. This was difficult for me, because in my experience and training, I have always preached and always experienced, just when you think you can't get better (physically or mentally) you find a way. I am a perfectionist that does not believe in perfection and always happy but never satisfied by raising that peak higher and higher. Practice makes better, in my experience, no matter what. So this idea of maximum capacity was difficult. Mike would probably just say that I haven't reached my maximum capacity yet. I really wanted to ask him if there was anyone who surprised him and pushed past what he thought their maximum capacity was.

I did agree with that people will always be faster, stronger, bigger; but you can always be smarter and be able to win the fight. However, I spoke to my Aunt Karen on the subject and she brought out a great point. She said "Honey, sometimes you don't progress upwards, some times you can progress outwards." Well that made great sense to me. So maybe I can see where Mike was coming from.

Then we were working on a specific drill to find out of a plethora of techniques, which we felt most comfortable and dominant with to use in combat. He said this will be the one we use no matter what for the rest of our lives and should master it. Only he can master them all because he is the founder, he said. Then he continued to say, the moment he cannot master them all as the founder, he will stop teaching. Mike plans on retiring when he hits fifty. I found this a little shocking.

Mike is a firm believer in if you can't do it yourself, you shouldn't teach it. The saying "Those who can't do, teach," he inserts the word "shouldn't". This contradict with a recent blog I posted about how I do know of some people who can teach but not do, but it was always a fear of mine to not be able to do what I teach. But how many people do I know who have coached and made the best of the best and know the theory inside and out, but could never do it themselves. How many coaches made Olympic medalists but never won one themselves? I even considered accepting that fact. Mike Lee would probably advise me to continue pushing to be my maximum level at whatever it is I am at if I plan on passing it down.

Most people know that I am SUPER sensitive. More so than what you see. So the people who know me best would really know just how strong skin I actually have. Mike is a ball buster to the tee. The entire time, in an almost relentless fashion, busted my chops when I told him I thought I was intellectual, and would even knock me when I did not answer or know like an intellectual would. It was all in jest, but almost to a point where it could get under your skin. But I knew his intentions were not to put me down (or at least I think lol) so anyone who ever wants to say I am oversensitive can ask the people who were at that seminar, I have thicker skin than you think! So in your ear!

The one thing that did strike me hard was once again something that had deeper meaning and understanding. Everyone knows I am super sensitive about revealing my age for a multitude of reasons. I have always felt it to be my prerogative to withhold my age from people and I expect that to be respected. Mike Lee asked me many times, and I at first joked, then quietly and respectfully said it for me to know.

But what I forgot was this is a militant man. When you're in combat, and you need information. You will get it. He asked my mentor to come over and said "Is he with you?" Master DeJesus said yes and then Mike slapped him across the face because I didn't tell him. Then he asked Master DeJesus what my age was and he told him. That struck me hard. This is where I did get oversensitive. Someone got hurt because of me. That devastated me in my heart. It was not a serious manner, but that hit a huge chord.

When in combat, you do what you must. When you don't get info, and you see what happens to someone else because of you, someone is telling somebody something. In a way it was a powerful lesson, but a deep one for me nonetheless.

The seminar itself was fantastic! I truly enjoyed the seminar and have a great deal of respect for Mike Lee. It was an honor to attend and he really has a brilliant mind and phenomenal experience that one should listen. I would love to sit down and interview him, pick his brain a little. I didn't have the chance, but he's got a few more years before retiring. Masters can always learn from different masters, and especially from ones that have been there. Mike Lee is one of those masters. Thank you sir for your insights and experience in this wonderful seminar, and thank you Master DeJesus for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this event!

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

An Accomplished Mentor

Master Kevin Balon, 7th Dan Black Belt

Master Kevin Balon is a 7th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. I met him four years ago by chance. Well, maybe it wasn't by chance. I always had a knack for attracting the best of the best into my life. And Master Balon truly is the BEST at what he does. I was on my own in the world, lost and didn't know what to do or how to move forward in my training and I was trying to figure out what to do and how to open my own martial arts school. So I did what any good investigator and researcher would do: I went to Google. LOL

I came across an organization called the AAU Taekwondo. I really liked it. It recognized both styles of Taekwondo which was a big plus for me since I studied both, but the sometimes overseen traditional style was very apparent and alive in this organization, so that was a big win for me. They had Black Belt certifications, and it looked like a great program for school owners to be a part of. So I wondered if there was anyone in New Jersey affiliated with the AAU. And that's when Master Kevin Balon's name showed up.

Now naive me, if I only knew that New Jersey AAU and Master Balon were both synonymous! Master Balon IS New Jersey AAU Taekwondo. For 20 years, Master Balon's dedication, commitment, and service to this program has been unparalleled. His reputation precedes him and everyone within the organization knows this of him. Hell, even people outside in other organizations know of him! And how cool is it to be that respected and that well known? He has accomplished so much and what he has done for this program has definitely not gone unnoticed.

Master Balon is not only the New Jersey District Director, he was the Region 1 Director for the AAU, he was on the National Executive Committee, he was a Clinical Coordinator and able to certify officials, he went to every national tournament for 20 years with maybe the exception of ONE, was a AA official which is the highest class official in the AAU, would go to every conference and supported many tournaments across the east coast and probably more! I am sure there are hats that I don't even know about that he has done! His commitment to this program is absolutely admirable.

But even more so than being a tremendous asset to the AAU program, he is a fantastic martial artist. Just being around him, you can see that he truly loves what he is doing, he loves and respects his martial arts, and he really cares about his students, inside the school and out. People like Master DeJesus and I are honored and privileged to have this mentor in our lives and give him the most utmost respect.

Master Balon, everyone who has ever come in contact with you knows how wonderful you are, not only as a martial artist and master, but as a human being. Thank you for all you do. Your accomplishments and dedication to the AAU is honorable and there are thousands of people who admire you and are grateful to you for it. You deserve every accolade in the world for it. And even more so, your students and mentees such as myself love you very much. Thank you, sir, for representing what the martial arts is all about. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO

Albus Dumbledore

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." 

 "To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." 

 "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." 

"Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself."  

"Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them." 

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."  

"Harry, I owe you an explanation," said Dumbledore. "An explanation of an old man's mistakes. For I see now that what I have done, and not done, with regard to you, bears all the hallmarks of the failings of age. Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young...and I seem to have forgotten lately." 

 "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."

 "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be."

"--yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often. Best to say nothing at all, my dear man."  

"In fact, being - forgive me - rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger." 

 "It is important to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated." 

 "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." 

 "Even between the best of friends! Each of us believes that what he has to say is much more important than anything the other might have to contribute!" 

 "Voldemort himself created his own worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress?" 

 "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present.”"

 "Tell me one last thing,”" said Harry. “"Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”"
“"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”"

 "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery."

 At that moment, Harry fully understood for the first time why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye Moody was more terrible than Harry could have ever imagined. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes behind the spectacles. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he were giving off burning heat.

WARNING: THIS BLOG MAY SPOIL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LATER HARRY POTTER SERIES IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SERIES!!!

I promise this will be the last Harry Potter blog for a while! But I want you to go up and read each of the quotes above. These are quotes in the Harry Potter series from the character of Professor Albus Dumbledore. He has always been by far one of my most favorite characters of all. He is a character I very much would like to be like. But never had I really understood why I relate to this character so much. 

J.K Rowling's brilliant wisdom was conveyed through this character in the series. Dumbledore's was the wisest, most clever, and yet most powerful wizard of all time. He was humble, witty, yet insightful and beyond intelligent. He did not judge others, he was kind to all, and he did not flaunt his power. His love for his school of witchcraft and wizardry was where his heart was at. 

As you read the books, it is hard not to fall in love with this character. The entire wizarding world was in awe of this man, his reputation put him on this pedestal, almost godly and feared in a way. Everyone wanted his advice, everyone knew of his success, everyone wanted his help, and everyone knew he lead you to now wrong ever. The quotes J.K Rowling had for Dumbledore kept the greatest life lessons in the most superb way. 

The image she created for this wizard was that of a sacred father figure. The all mighty go-to person. When Dumbledore was around, you felt safe. You felt you had guidance. You felt you would have answers. You felt nothing could go wrong. He could make anything happen. He would say something that would touch your heart and I would have to run and get a piece of paper and write down some of his brilliance. And the only wizard the evil Lord Voldemort ever feared was Dumbledore. 

For six books, Dumbledore was a saint and all loved him. He is killed off at the end of the sixth book, and so many readers cried their eyes out. Remember, reading these books made you believe these characters were real, as if you knew them. I was shocked and hurt and upset this character was gone. And because of the climate of the books, I also even felt scared that he was gone. His presence was so strong in the books that his absence was truly a void in the story.

Then in the seventh book, J.K Rowling angered some of us readers. Just like in our real world, when a great figure passes away, tabloids and papers and books are printed to sell dirt about these famous figures. Books and publications in the wizarding world are created in the scenes to tell the skeletons of Dumbledore and his dark past, and a history that no one knows about. And some readers were angry with Rowling for tainting the saint like image of Dumbledore. But Jo Rowling was not catering to the audience. She was writing very real things, and these are things that do happen even in our own lives. And so she created a period after his death where people were trying to make a living off his death.

Dumbledore turned out to be, in fact, the most tragic character in the entire series. You discover this more so in the final installment of the series than anything else. We learn of the devastating past that formed the master of master wizards that the entire world knew and loved. His father killed Muggles (non-magic folk) and he had a sister who was ill and dysfunctional he had to take care of, and he was blamed by close family members that his neglect is the reason his younger sister died.

His claim to fame was winning the duel against the evil dark wizard Grindlewald, who in fact we learn was Dumbledore's best friend growing up. He was betrayed and turned on by the one person who promised to stand by his side and he had to defeat him. He and his best friend were on a mission as young boys to gaining the Deathly Hallows to become the master of death. The humble, generous, wise wizard we knew had an old history of being power hungry and selfish motives, and of course the wizards and witches who learned this after his death began to look at him differently and the ones who loved him were angry for the truth and angry for those who DID turn their view of him.

J.K Rowling has said "True heroism is rebuilding after the trauma," and through the character of Dumbledore said that these are the values which see us through and that we live. But she says that the character who gives the greatest lesson to life, he could not do it himself. He was the one who preached but couldn't do, which is where Harry came in. The most powerful wand in the world was in Dumbledore's possession and ended up becoming Harry's later. He rids of the wand in the end of the series to end the cycle of which evil comes in.

J.K Rowling states in an interview about Dumbledore: "I see him as fundamentally a very intellectual, brilliant and precocious person whose emotional life was absolutely subjugated to the life of the mind - by his choice - and then his first foray into the world of emotion is catastrophic and I think that would forevermore stun that part of his life and leave it stultified and he would be, what he becomes. That's what I saw as Dumbledore's past. That's always what I saw was in his past. And he keeps a distance between himself and others through humor, a certain detachment and a frivolity of manner. But he's also isolated by his brain. He's isolated by the fact he knows so much, guesses so much, guesses correctly. He has to play his cards close to his chest because he doesn't want Voldemort to know what he suspects. Terrible to be Dumbledore, really..."

 

Jo Rowling also states that Dumbledore really learned of his weakness by the time he was 17 years old, which was his temptation for power. Readers would never believe it! Even the characters within the book would argue that was ever a weakness of Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore knew, and his decision to never become Minster of Magic and to remain at Hogwarts was a deeper, more admirable decision. 

 

Dumbledore's greatest wisdom, in some ways, is the understanding of himself that he ultimately gains.With this he uses the knowledge he has earned from his past mistakes to try and make things right. Though Dumbledore's plans didn't come out exactly as he expected, his guidance, even from beyond the grave, continues to help Harry through his own final mission.

 

So in the end, Albus Dumbledore the most adored and powerful light hearted wizard of the world was also the most tragic character of all. When everyone loved him for all he was and all he has done, he was the most isolated and alone. He lived his entire life that way, but his reputation for doing good preceded him. People looked up to him and respected him above all things. So I have to say, one of my most favorite and beloved characters that I understand most about would be the great Albus Dumbledore. (BOWS)

Yours in service,

MASTER TRENTO

Brilliant Wisdom from J.K

The picture above is of one of the most brilliant authors of our time. I have been on the Harry Potter kick recently, after watching all the movies. But for some reason, I am seeing these books with entirely new eyes. I watched like three or four major interviews of the author J.K Rowling. The Harry Potter series is truly a masterpiece of literature that has major themes of Truth, Love, Friendship, Depression, Integrity, and Death. Very real themes and real topics of life to explore.

Jo's story is legend. A struggling single mother, depressive, poor, and life was just horrible. Estranged from her father, mother died of MS whom she loved dearly without her ever knowing she was writing the Harry Potter books, Jo Rowling would wrote the first Harry Potter book in a cafe while soothing her daughter to sleep for her nap. She is now one of the richest and most successful authors of her time. I believe she is the first literary billionaire. The Harry Potter series have changed people's lives.

If there is one great success of Harry Potter, it is that is has given people the freedom to use their imaginations once again, as it should be. Ellen DeGeneres once said that people don't know how to play anymore. We grow up and we stop playing. And we should always have time and find ways to play! Harry Potter has given people of all ages the ability to play once again, and using our imagination is such a treasure that is overlooked.

I relate to the themes of her books and to Jo the person as well. She has gone through a large portion of her life through depression, which I am no stranger to. Depression is not sadness, they are two different things completely. Sadness is grief, sorrow, and mournfulness, but comes and goes. Depression is the cold absence of any feeling whatsoever that lingers for long periods of time, prolonged on a much deeper level as a reaction to unfortunate life circumstances more intense than normal. There are many reasons for depression. Some are neurological or biological, some are behavioral, regardless where it has come from, it is a horrible experience and a horrible dis-ease.

J.K Rowling describes how her earlier adult years were full of turmoil and despair and depression has taken hold of her life for many years. It was in the creation of this magical world of Harry Potter that lead to this great success that has really helped her out of her depression. But depression and loss was a major theme in her books. She captured true depression with the creation of her horrible creatures, the dementors, which would suck the happiness out of you just by being in their presence. You felt all the happiness in the world was gone and would never return, and the worst punishment of a dementor would be the kiss which would suck out one's soul, considered worse than death.

Rowling's goal for the series to bring HOPE to people, which it did for millions. She said "True heroism is rebuilding after trauma." Trauma is the experience that disables someone psychologically injured and many of the characters, including Harry, suffered tremendous traumas. I don't think Jo Rowling missed any one kind of trauma someone could experience that could cause depression, which reflected her own. Her stories many people could relate to. Whether it be murdered parents, abused orphans, betrayal of friends and family members, broken families, parents who you couldn't communicate with, close individuals dying perhaps because of you, abandonment, distrust. The books do get very dark as the story develops. But it was REAL.

"I made a mess of myself but it was freeing," Rowling has said about her younger adult years. I can understand that. Sometimes we have to put ourselves in the most obscure situations regardless of what people think we should do or should have done etc. But sometimes you have to follow what you think is right for YOU in order to feel like your are fulfilling yourself. You want to make life your springboard vs your stray jacket!

Of course another theme is death. Harry equaled drama. Anyone who entered Harry's life was getting into major drama. But was it drama? Well everyone who came in contact with him did risk the good chance of probably ending up dying. But friendship, as I pointed out in a recent blog, also was prevalent in the books. Harry and Ron were the best of friends. They were always together in a eye rolling kind of way. In book four, they sat next to each other during a dance, neglecting their dates. When the person who meant the most to the Triwzard tournament was taken, Ron was kidnapped on Harry's behalf, being his most valued friend.

But even this grand friendship was tested in many ways. Book four, a jealousy caused the two to fight and not speak. Even in the last book when hunting horcrux's to destroy the evil Dark Lord wizard, even after Ron said he would be there to the end no matter what to help Harry in his quest, there was a point where he blew up in anger and frustration at how this quest was not planned out or any solutions being made. Harry's retort was "I thought you said you knew what you were in for." But Ron reneged, and the hurt feelings of betrayal and lack of understanding caused great angst within Harry, in what was probably the most desperate hour of need. But even still, the two loved each other more than anything and couldn't, wouldn't allow anything to stand in the way of their friendship.

But the greatest of all the themes of the books would be the theme and message and important of LOVE. In all the self-help and positive thinking study I have done, all the psychology training I've been through, all the standard teaching in every major religion, and all the most powerful teachers I have ever worked with will tell you these very words J.K Rowling stated: "Love is the most powerful thing of all...In the end, Love wins."

Harry Potter was protected from Lord Voldemort by the most powerful of all magic from his deceased mother. Dumbledore (who is a future blog in itself) stated to Harry that this kind of magic leaves a mark that is unseen and so powerful. And it is simply LOVE. As dark and dangerous and fearful the books became, LOVE always wins in the end. LOVE is what made all things possible. LOVE is what made good triumph over evil. The series ended with this phrase: ALL IS WELL.

If we hold onto LOVE in every which way, no matter what happens in our lives, we cannot forget and hold onto the undeniable fact that in the end, ALL IS WELL. So thank you J.K Rowling, through Harry Potter, reminding us and those who've gone through the depression you yourself experienced to hold onto HOPE (Hold On Possibilities Exist) and to remember at the end of the day: ALL. IS. WELL. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO