Every person in the world has heard of some type of fairy tale -- "Snow White," "Cendrillon," "Hansel and Gretel," "The Little Mermaid," "The Seven Geese," "The Frog Princess." The list could go on for a very long time. And when people first consider fairy tales, characters like dragons and princesses might be what come to mind. Daring adventures and incredible feats that could never happen in real life. But not only are these classic stories considered mythical, they are often thought of as childish.
So many people think that the fantasy world is just for children, that it’s unimportant and unrealistic. There are also those who think allowing the next generation to grow up hearing these stories handicaps them; that they believe everything will be handed to them by some “magical” happenstance. Well, I’m sorry if you’re one of those people because I couldn’t disagree with you more.
I’m a college student who has a bedroom at her parents’ home with a unicorn on the wall. When new friends visit for the first time, it’s the first thing they notice. I laugh with them at my decorations, because I admit it’s a bit strange. But not once would I say my room is childish -- it is fantastical. It transports me somewhere else, and reminds me of all the stories I grew up with.
You see, fairy tales aren’t just stories. They’re lessons learned young that will apply to the rest of a lifetime.
In the art of origami, the first creases are typically the ones that give you a guideline for the harder folds to come. If one of the beginning folds is slightly off it can ruin the entire project. It is, as with all things, harder to go back and start again.
I believe that it is the same in someone’s life. Your beginnings are not something to be judged by, not something to base an entire life on, but they will have an effect for years. The creases made in your first few years have a huge impact on the piece of art that you become. I know this from personal experience; things that I experienced when I was too young to remember still make me think and act in ways that are seemingly inexplicable.
The fairy tales we grow up listening to are part of the creases that make us who we are. They teach us how to survive in the world in ways different than any schooling or counseling ever could. You might learn about quantum physics, become an expert in marine biology, or simply learn how to balance a checkbook well. But in the real world, some of the best lessons are neglected to be taught -- that it’s OK to take risks, to be vulnerable sometimes. That dreams can come true if you work for them. That love is a real, tangible abstraction not to be taken lightly. And that’s where fairy tales come in. They’re disregarded, said to be for children. But the stories and things they teach can usually be found existing within the fantasy.
Many people ask about the unicorn on my wall, why I decided to put it there.
It serves as a reminder of one of my favorite stories, "The Last Unicorn," by Peter S. Beagle. And so, I will leave you with a quote. It reminds me that I am the hero in my own story, even when the circumstances look daunting and I don’t know where to turn. If that makes me childish, so be it.
"Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairy tale."
