Who are we not taking seriously?

Imagine that you have a huge crush on a boy

and you've been thinking about him

all summer.

You've barely spoken to him but you know

you have something special.

One morning you go downstairs for breakfast

and with no warning

he's sitting at the kitchen table

with the rest of your family.

After catching your breath

you wish you had had a little bit

of warning so you could have brushed

your hair or at least your teeth.

Your whole family knows that

you're in love with him.

They tease you about it in front of him.

You're embarrassed, he's embarrassed.

It's the worst.

No one takes you seriously.

They all just think it's a silly crush, but it's not.

One day you're going to marry him.

Then you meet an older boy at school

unlike the others he cares about what

you have to say and doesn't laugh at you.

You start to talk to him all the time.

As soon as you wake up, between classes

before you go to bed at night.

He's your constant companion.

He starts to ask you

for favors and you're happy to help.

It feels good to give back to this person.

It's the least you can do after

he's been such a good friend.

But then he

asks you to do something that crosses a line.

You try to stop talking to him and

you want to ask for help but you doubt

your family and friends will take you seriously.

They never have before.

After all, he's the only one who listens.

So you go back

and you do what he asks you to.

It hurts a lot of people

including the boy you love.

You know it's wrong

you just can't figure out another option.

And even though you feel awful

you wonder what would have happened if

someone had listened to you have taken

you seriously.

You would be Ginny Weasley

in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Who in our lives are we not listening to?

Who are we not taking seriously?

For more conversations like this

join us for season two

of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

launching at the end of October

find us wherever you listen to your podcasts

in the harrypottersacredtext.com