The Mirror of Erised

   As a simple fan of the story, and also as a critic, I maintain that the Harry Potter series is one of the greatest literary works of all time. Keep in mind that I mean this among thousands of other masterpieces, but it is still one of the greatest.

   Even in the very first book, when author J.K. Rowling was stepping out into an unfamiliar practice, she created one of my favorite elements of the entire series.

   The Mirror of Erised is to me, one of the most fascinating subjects in the Harry Potter world. To understand the significance of the mirror, you simply need to mirror it. Erised in reverse spells “Desire.”
   Through Albus Dumbledore’s explanation, Harry learns that The Mirror of Erised shows the viewer their heart’s most desperate desire. Harry, who was orphaned as an infant sees himself surrounded by his family in a loving and joyous embrace. Ron Weasley, who has grown up overshadowed by his brothers’ achievements in a crowded family, sees himself standing tall, alone, and handsome, adorned with the badges of his many achievements.

   Here Dumbledore makes his only statement in the entire series that I don’t find to be very wise.

“However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth.”
–Albus Dumbledore. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

   Dumbledore says this to Harry to impress upon him the dangers of constantly dwelling on dreams, which is a pitfall to avoid to be sure. I do however believe there is a great deal of knowledge and truth we could learn from the Mirror of Erised.

   I wish I could access the mirror about once a year.

   While Harry’s deepest desire is an obvious one, I rarely, if ever know what I long for most. I may convince myself that I want to live a simple life, and could be content with “just enough to get by.” What if I looked into the mirror and saw myself a prideful owner of immeasurable wealth. What if I looked into the mirror and saw that I desire things I thought I had abandoned long ago. 

   In these scenarios I would learn that I am far shallower than I knew, or that I am still grasping at dreams I thought I had burned.

   Or if I looked into the mirror and saw myself surrounded by family and friends, all safe and whole. If I saw myself living as a willing servant of the God and his purposes, how encouraging would that be, to know that at my deepest being I am at least on track.

   There is much wisdom to be gained from introspection. The unabashed and unfaltering truth of the Mirror of Erised would be refreshing, but we don’t have such an easy solution in this world. Looking deep within ourselves to find the beauty or darkness within is a difficult and often painful ordeal. It may take time, and it may be difficult to find the truth, but we cannot be the best version of ourselves if we don’t know ourselves.

   Our desires drive every aspect of our lives. It is the function of the human soul that makes it unique, our desire and our ability to desire. Luckily, for those of us who have welcomed him into our lives, we have God who communicates to us through the Holy Spirit and aids us in our search for truth and understanding.

   I encourage you to seek introspection. Know what drives you. Know the desires that make you stand up out of bed in the morning, or the desires that weigh on you like a physical burden when life is dark. You will find that some desires are healthy, and you can work to make them realities. You may also find desires that will shock you, and that you can learn to set aside to become who you are meant to be.