Dear Daniel,
Thank you for shedding light on the issue of learning differences by opening up that you have dyspraxia.
Am sure that any parent who has a child with dyspraxia or any other learning difference is going to be thrilled to read how you overcame some issues related to dyspraxia through playing Harry Potter.
Big Bro and Little Bro do not have dyspraxia but they do have other medical issues that sometimes present challenges for them.
Thank you for wearing glasses.
Thank you for making the statement that when you were asked what you would like to keep from your Harry Potter days, you said "the glasses"...perfect timing, as we had to pick up Big Bro's glasses this past weekend and were able to show him the clip from your interview.
You have managed to help Big Bro think that wearing glasses isn't as bad as he had thought it might be and that maybe having them is a good thing.
Big Bro was initially very upset at the notion of having to wear them...we showed him photos of you, small snippets of various Harry Potter movies scenes with you wearing your glasses, and then, we were able to point out how you were discovered and how much the director liked you when he saw you, presumably wearing glasses.
Big Bro did not end up getting Harry Potter glasses, but he did consider getting them...ultimately, he went for more rectangular ones.
The boys have not seen an entire Harry Potter movie, as they are so little and get scared at even G rated movies, but they have seen little snippets, their favorite being with you and your pet owl. They have asked many times if they can have an owl as a pet because of you having one for a pet in the movies.
They also have a few Harry Potter Lego sets, as they love building and were very excited about getting some Harry Potter Lego sets.
Am quite certain that they will be huge Harry Potter fans when they are truly old enough to grasp all of the books and the all of the movies.
Big Bro is still not entirely sold that it is cool for him to wear glasses, although with you wearing them, it has helped a great deal for him to adjust. He plans to write and mail you his own letter. Big Bro wants to ask you if you "actually think that wearing glasses is cool or if it is all an act".
He has it on his list of things he wants to do after we wrap up celebrating Thanksgiving here in the USA with family.
Thank you for playing a role where you do not quite fit in and yet, you are such a strong, smart, well loved character.
Thank you for making being a little bit of an odd one out the cool thing, as sometimes, they feel a little out due to being homeschooled, as well as due to some of their medical challenges.
Thank you for being larger than life to two little boys who have only seen a glimmer of you on the screen.
Here is the big thing of concern though about what we have read about you off screen...
We are very sad if it is true to hear that you supposedly have stated that in real life, you are an atheist.
We hope and pray that that is just a nasty rumor...
Hope that you actually have a belief system that includes embracing and accepting God in your life...
If you have yet to believe and accept God into your life, hope that you will find God, will grow to believe, love, and trust in Him, and will realize that life is complete with God, not without Him.
You have given so much to folks on screen. Hope that off screen, if the rumors are true and if you have not yet turned to God, that you will find a sense of deep Faith for your life, as faith carries you through, long after your movies have wrapped.
If you have been turned off for some reason to not believe in God, hopefully, you will reflect upon this and will turn towards God.
Faith will carry you so much longer than the wealth of the movie success of Harry Potter has carried you.
We will pray for you to have an enriched spiritual life off screen and hope that you will come to know the beauty, the enormity, and the reality of the goodness of God's love for you.
Additional Note:
About a week ago, I had published this post...then, I got two very nasty comments from two people who feel that Daniel is entitled to be an atheist. While he is entitled, it is a concern for me, as he has a huge influence over young people in the world and our family believes in God...
Had pulled the post, as I do not want to have to read any nasty comments right near the holiday season telling me that Daniel has every right to be an atheist...although he has the right to be an atheist, I just have to wonder how informed he is about religion, any religion in particular...how well versed he is in any particular faith to come to the sweeping decision that God does not exist for him.
It is not only sad if that is what he truly believes, but it is a bit disturbing in that so many young people look up to him as the person he appears to be on screen as Harry Potter.
Have thought about this a great deal and have decided to once again re-publish this post, as although many admire him for his role as Harry Potter, it concerns me that he has written off God in his life as a young person. Having a spiritual life, regardless of how that is interpreted for a person is important, as it means that your family has some sort of moral compass to follow...something that gives you a guide for how you live your life in an ethical way. I am not saying that Daniel should have the same sort of Christian value system that our family has, but just think that having a spiritual, religious sort of life is crucial regardless of how a person interprets that for themselves, whether one is Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or any other sort of religion.
It takes some people years to have a strong faith and it is a life long journey to have a relationship with God, so no disrespect to Daniel, but just hoping and praying that his heart will be turned and that he will come to have a belief system that includes God in his life.
Jody from Mommy Moment, thank you for your original supportive comment. When I deleted the original post after getting two out there nasty grams, I reconsidered, have re-posted this, but cannot pull up the nice comment you originally left...
