Waiting

Okay, so a year ago today I posted this. A week from now the 5th movie will open and 8 days after that, the final book will appear. And I guess I'm reminded of the question posted last year:

Then what?

The series will be done (if Rowling sticks to her word). All the secrets will be revealed, we'll know who lives and who doesn't, and the story of the "boy who lived" will come full circle. For many of us, it will be Christmas in July. But no matter how good the final book is, there's going to be a letdown.

There are many wonderful "firsts" in life: your first kiss, your first time riding a bike, driving a car, etc. All of us can look back over our life and remember our "firsts", some of them good and some not-so-good, but all of them memorable and all of them unique. There is only one first time to do anything and while it may seem strange to put reading a book in the category, I think it fits.

I remember vividly being introduced to "The Lord of the Rings", for example, and my first Stephen King book (The Shining). I can remember my first introduction to so many wonderful writers: John D. Macdonald, James Ellroy, Richard Matheson, Elmore Leonard, Neal Stephenson, William Goldman, and on and on. There is nothing like the experience of having an author wrap you in his or her world for the first time, taking you by the hand and leading you into a land of love or terror or excitement - or maybe all of them at once - and all the time gently whispering in your ear "It's okay. I've got you. Don't worry. Just keep going." Like your father running alongside as you pedal furiously on your Schwinn and then, suddenly, he's not there and you're on your own, flying down the sidewalk, the threshold crossed, and now the new world is yours to make of what you will.

For the past couple of months, I've been re-reading all the Harry Potter books, in anticipation of the last. I've taken my time, lingering over certain passages, racing through others, and I'm now about a third of the way through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. My goal is to finish it the day before the final book is released.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the moments leading up to the final book. Much of the joy of a thing is the anticipation of it; the waiting and wanting, the little tingle that runs through your skin when you think about it. For now, I will read all the stories and gossip and rumors that surround the book - that's all part of the fun. Once out, I will do my best to tune out all of the spoilers and reviews and savor the experience, linger over it, stretch it out for as long as I can.

After all, the first time only happens once.