No need to grow up too quickly

By Cynthia Wang
Staff Writer

Every Christmas Eve, it is said a corpulent old man travels around the world bearing gifts for all the well-behaved children and coal for the disobedient. I can't say I genuinely believed in this folklore as a child, but I did try my best to be obedient, just in case Santa was watching.

Belief in the unbelievable is the essence of youth and innocence. The Easter bunny may not exist and the tooth fairy probably wouldn't have enough quarters to compensate for all those lost teeth, but these myths cultivate our imaginations. Creative ideas, new inventions and human progress sprout from the younger generation and its tendency to naïvely believe in the impossible. Take that away and what remains is a dull, hopeless, pessimistic society.

Many argue that encouraging children to believe in fairy tales is lying. Eventually, when children discover the truth, they'll be scarred by the disappointment. But this discovery is a natural part of growing up and will occur without adults feeling obligated to "kill the magic" prematurely.

As we mature, the youthful magic we loved as children should never completely disappear. Childhood tales taught me to hope. It may be a great feat for Santa to deliver presents to over two billion children in just one night, but there is still a possibility he exists, just as an expert of evasion. Refusal to let go of childish fantasies protects us from the effects of adult skepticism and guides us through awkward or unbearable moments. It's the true fountain of youth: preserving the inner child keeps the mind sharp and the frown lines at bay. The grueling tests of life, from schoolwork to taxes to wars, often squeeze the child out of us and we forget what it means to be young.

To the young, embrace childhood and take life slowly, there is no rush to grow up or discourage imagination at such an early age. To adults, don't be afraid to let out the inner child. Go trick-or-treating or indulge in Disney movies once in a while. I've been told to grow up and stop participating in such antics, but I say, what's wrong with believing in Santa?