Einstein and Fairy Tales?

Unique Perspectives: Einstein and Fairy Tales?

By Kim Stevens

Einstein and Fairy Tales?

I once heard a story about Albert Einstein visiting a classroom of young children. One of them asked, “How can we get as smart as you?” Einstein smiled and said, “Read fairy tales.”

Then another asked, “How can we get even smarter than you?” He laughed and replied, “Read more fairy tales.”

I love this story for so many reasons — not only because I love Albert Einstein, but because I love fairy tales. They remind me of something I seem to have forgotten as I became an adult: that magic is real… and that anything is possible.

We’ve gotten so far away from that feeling, haven’t we? The one that lives in the space between make-believe and manifesting — the space where dreams aren’t limited by logic.

When we were children, we believed in the impossible without hesitation. We trusted the talking animals, the enchanted forests, and the happy endings. We understood the language of wonder before we ever learned the language of doubt.

And maybe that’s what Einstein was really pointing to — that the mind expands not by memorizing facts, but by believing in possibilities. After all, he also said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Knowledge defines what already is. Imagination opens the door to what could be.

“Play is the highest form of research.” How about that? This is one of my favorites! When we approach life like a child exploring a new world, we discover far more than when we try to figure everything out. Play is the energy of creation itself. I use this ALL THE TIME! Especially when I feel like I’m struggling or “working on” something. I change to “playing with it” and suddenly it becomes a fun adventure and ideas and energy come flooding in! When we play, we access that same state where creativity and inspiration flow naturally. We stop trying to “be smart,” and we start letting life surprise us. I really love that.

Maybe Einstein wasn’t just talking about bedtime stories. Maybe he was reminding us that fairy tales are mirrors — that we are the heroes, the dreamers and the ones who can turn straw into gold. They also teach us that darkness isn’t the end.

So perhaps the smartest thing we can do, for ourselves, for our work, for the world, is to sprinkle a little more fairy dust into our days and to let imagination have a seat at the table and do what our mothers always encouraged us to do...

Go outside and PLAY!