By Jim Nichols

Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw—those words are meaningful to many readers. Even if you are not interested in or a fan of the Harry Potter genre, you probably have encountered those names. They are associated with the beginning of the school year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and identify the House into which each student is placed for his or her tenure as a student. Each house has a history of past individuals that, according to the story, have a particular set of characteristics. As the school year continues, participants in each House compete in various academic and physical competitions (such as Quidditch); points are accumulated to win the House Cup at the end of the school year. The story allows us to follow various young wizards and witches as they learn how to express themselves according to the House in which they are placed by the Sorting Hat.

The Sorting Hat plays a vital role in the early story and in the lives of the students. Since the four Houses have participants with a variety of characteristics, the new students wonder where they will be placed. The students may have a preference, but the Sorting Hat makes the final decision. Wishing (or even student character traits to an extent) does not count to the Sorting Hat; it has knowledge that will position the student in the best fit House.

It is part of a magical beginning to the complex unfolding of the subsequent adventures of the students. The Sorting Hat does not appear later in the stories, but its initial placement of the students continues to be subtly evident.

At the beginning of a school year, today’s students wish for a Sorting Hat. Which classes should I take? Which clubs or activities should I pursue? Whether we are starting an academic year or not, do we all not wish we had access to a Sorting Hat? It would certainly make our lives easier and smoother.

Years ago, I had a business leader friend who wore only black socks. His sock drawer contained only that color. Every morning, he reached into the drawer and withdrew two socks and put them on. As an owner of many properties in town, he said it was one fewer decision he had to make that day.

I and many of you have served on a jury. My experience is that people lie in a trial; perhaps most of them are lying. How can we tell which are telling the truth? How can we tell when an ex-President seeking re-election is telling the truth? Oh, if we just had a Sorting Hat.

Eloquent reflections have been written by people closing out the households of their deceased parents. The abundance of keepsakes and memories is deep. What should I keep and what should I put in a trash bag by the side of the street? A Sorting Hat would help a lot.

A Sorting Hat would save us indecision, one of the most unpleasant human situations. We could remain passive while the Sorting Hat did the challenging work.

On the other hand, perhaps it is our decisions that allow our lives to have meaning. How else would we learn about mistakes and remedies? Each of us can remember when our parents simply refused to decide for us and compelled us to make a decision ourselves—and we had to deal with the consequences positive or negative. 

For those with a faith background, decisions emphasize our humanity and force our trust in God. Each of us can look backward at our life and see decisions that shaped who we are today. Do some of them bring a twinge of regret? Yes, but they also remind us that even with blurry paths including challenges before us, there are also blessings on the horizon. They may be hidden from our present view, but they are there.

The passive nature of the Sorting Hat is certainly attractive. What is missing, however, is that human sorting mandates compromise and adaptability. This is part of what growth involves.

The fantasy of Hogwarts involved the wonderful Sorting Hat. The best form of human sorting is to look for God. That does not make it easier, but it does keep open some spiritual doors that could be helpful.

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospital chaplain