As children, my siblings and I loved listening to fairy tales, in fact we used to stay up late with other children reading and listening to tales from adults or watching the movies.
My favourite of them all was Cinderella. I was always intrigued by how her life magically transformed from sadness to happiness.
The idea that a fairy godmother could show up out of nowhere, wave the magic wand and transform everything fascinated me.
I was in love with every part of this story and I tried to apply it in real life. I often imagined that magical things like that could happen in real life.
I loved how kind and patient Cinderella was and I loved how she was eventually rewarded for her good heart. I even learnt how to sing the songs she sang in the movie.
Well as I grew older, I realised that fairy tales are meant to teach lessons and they don't happen in real life. Their are no dairy godmothers, no magic wands. But there's kindness, patience and hope. These are qualities that can truly change a person's life. Cinderella still inspires me today, even though I don't believe in magic, but I can imitate her good qualities.
Another funny thing I used to believe as a child was that if I swallowed the seed of a fruit accidentally, it'll grow inside my stomach. I took this very serious so whenever I ate fruits, I'd carefully remove every seed because I was afraid one would slip down my throat. Whenever I accidentally swallowed one I'd become very worried and start imagining plants growing inside me.
Looking back now, it makes me laugh because I was so stupid and I had no idea how the human body worked.
As I got older, I learnt in school that seeds are usually digested or they pass through the digestive system without growing.
A seed needs the right conditions, such as soil, water, sunlight and air to germinate and the stomach is not an environment that plants can grow.
Reflecting on these childhood memories reminds me of how innocent children are. They believe many things because trusted adults, family and friends or even stories shape our understanding of the world.
Although those beliefs turned out to be untrue, they are memories I cherish because they remind me of a time when my imagination had no limits.
Today those memories spark am emotion and makes me smile. They remind me of how much I've learnt and improved.
I have learnt that growing up is a journey of replacing myths with knowledge while still keeping the sense of wonder that made childhood so special.
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