My inner snob said, "Surely, anything that popular must be trash."

But finally, my son dragged me to movie, and I fell in love with Harry Potter.

I've had a lot of time to think about phenomenal success of stories like Harry Potter and Lord of Rings trilogy - and why these stories resonate so with me.

It's not magic.

It's not wizards and elves, hobbits and Hogwarts.

It's not dazzling special effects.

Those things are all wonderful. They add charm, magic and mystery. They're just ripping good fun!

But real staying power of these stories lies in The Message. And it's same Message that runs like a whisper throughout all great literature - and, for that matter, not so great literature.

The Message? Things are not as they seem. There's more to us - and our world - than meets eye.

We are, indeed, magical!

Living, as we do, in sunlight world of mundane reality, we forget who we are. We're afraid of our own shadows. Afraid to step out and spread our wings. We wrap ourselves in our fears and limitations and live, as Thoreau said, "lives of quiet desperation."

It is important that you test your boundaries and see how far you can go. Challenge your own beliefs to increase your sphere and strengthen your resolve in your own life. Of course, don't do anything to risk life and limb; however, it is important risk and overcome your fears.

We all experience some element of fear. Fears keep you isolated and immobile in one or more parts of your life. Fears tend to develop to replace desire. Instead of desiring change to achieve success, you begin to fear change so that you can remain stable. Instead of desiring more money and responsibility in your job, you fear losing your job and income. Challenging your fears can allow you to overcome many issues and feelings that have piled up over years.