When the first Harry Potter book was released, I was thrilled. I read the first book in its entirety on a plane flight to Hawaii. Despite all my travels I am an uneasy traveler. I have about seven rituals I must undertake before a flight takes off. Such a ritual used to include calling my mom before and after each flight. She would issue me her blessings. I felt incomplete if I couldn’t do these rituals. But I digress. Although, any digression about my mother is a good one.

The following year, I returned to Hawaii and read the second Harry Potter book. At one point, I watched the movies. Despite both reading the books and watching the movies, for the life of me I couldn’t remember the movie plot lines. Fast forward to this year. This past month, I decided to binge watch all the Harry Potter movies. Then I remembered, well I actually, re-watched the scene where they discuss unbreakable promises.

I started wondering what are my unbreakable promises. Which promises I would never forgive myself for breaking. Which promises I couldn’t forgive others for breaking.

I came to realize that false promises of help were ones that could destroy one’s soul and hope for humanity. If someone makes a promise to be there and then aren’t they are engaging by default in breaking a mutually understood promise or interpersonal contract. We all have that one or two things that are unforgivable and that should be unbreakable. Clarity on such things can actually help and bring happiness by laying out what can potentially be a minefield.