I would be incredibly untruthful (and I value honesty), if I didn’t mention my small obsession with Harry Potter and the woman behind the books, J.K. Rowling.

Those of you who know me well are probably surprised to see that this is the second post in my gold stars section, not the first. But it doesn’t mean I love Harry Potter and his friends any less. Like any book that has made an impact, those characters will forever be in my heart. Tattooed there in red ink.

And with the 20^th anniversary of the release of the first Harry Potter book coming up next week, I figured now was the time to pay homage to the woman who gave us the wonderful wizarding world.

My fellow 27-31 year-olds, we are the luckiest slice of the lucky millennial generation. I mean, c’mon when we were eighteen we didn’t have email on our phones. How ridiculous does that sound now?

But, more than phone emails, we are lucky in the Harry Potter sense. Many of you out there know what I’m talking about. We were the ones who waited patiently for the release of the newest books, desperately wondering if good would conquer evil. We experienced the joy of pre-ordering and counting down the days in anticipation of arrival. Maybe we even visited a launch party where we wore Harry Potter glasses, drank Butterbeer, and screamed like five-year-olds.

Or how about the fact that Harry, Hermione, and Ron all happened to be our age pretty much step-for-step during the series? I’m telling you, we are the ones who hit the jackpot.

And Harry Potter entering our lives is just one small example of our great fortune. This gold star’s for you, J.K. Rowling, for your wit, wisdom, and all around creative awesomeness.

I know you didn’t write them for me, but I wouldn’t be the same without them.

If you’ve been living under a rock, go buy the books now. The 20^th anniversary of the release of the first HP book is next week. You must read them. Trust me. What books have wedged a place in your heart?