Do We Need Something To Believe?

It seems amiss that we shield our children from reality while filling their senses with make-believe characters and lands only found in fairy tales. As much as I think I should be, I have never been mad at my parents from lying to me about Santa Clause or letting me believe that someday my prince would come. But I can't help but question the motive for urging our children to believe in a kind of false hope.

If I told you that when I have children I wouldn't let them watch Cinderella or wouldn't play tooth fairy a few nights a year, I would be lying to you. I will participate in those traditions as much as my parents, but I have no idea why. Why would I give my children something to believe in when I know that those tales are only stories.

Is it because we are so accustom to tradition that it pains us to change the future? Is it because as adults--deep down-- we still really want to believe that the fairytale could come true? Does it give us some kind of joy to think that maybe wishing on a star or a passing hay wagon will help our dreams transpire? Or, do we believe that maybe, just maybe, those stories aren't stories after all and somewhere someday they will come true ?