I have stories on the brain this week. My university is putting on the show Into the Woods this fall, and I have just finished reading the script for the third time today. Not out of duty, but awe. The show is set in a world where stories join together and characters' fates intertwine. These timeless stories seem to have a unique way of getting to me. They always have. Since the days of VHS players and TVs the size of refrigerators, I've been captivated by the magic, wonder, adventure, and love that fill these classics to the brim and overflowing.

Some say I have an unhealthy obsession with these childhood fantasies. They're probably be right. Just kidding. Maybe.

But what I've come to realize, and what draws me to them so forcefully, is that these stories have power. This goes for all stories: classic storybook fairytales, modern fantasy films, and everything in between. And as I've grown older, my appreciation for them has grown much deeper than their happily ever afters.

Here are 10 reasons fairytales are not only essential, but irreplaceable.

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1. They foster imagination.

Imagination is often tragically left by the wayside in our modern culture. Children today must see their reality right in front of them, usually on a screen, if they are to believe it at all. And while there is nothing wrong with the stories they are being exposed to, it is so important to hone that skill of imagination. And fairytales are able to do that in a way nothing else is.

They force us to think of absurd things, picture places never visited by man, and put ourselves in the shoes of the wildest characters. Flying through Neverland with Peter Pan, falling down the rabbit hole with Alice, or trekking through wolf-infested woods with Little Red, these stories force us out of our own minds to not only conceive the impossible, but believe in it.

This is not a skill we simply must learn as children and then forget; imagination is a crucial part of life. It is the key to understanding the depths of the beauty present in the world around us.

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2. They demonstrate a rare level of beauty.

Well-crafted stories are beautiful. The way they are told is beautiful. Their words compel us, their images enthrall us, their messages inspire us. No matter the medium, fairytale fables have the power to mesmerize like no other type of story can.

Beauty is far too often disregarded as superfluous. Practicality, function, message--these are the things that are worth acting upon. Classic stories, beautiful stories, remind us of beauty's importance and value in our world. That we cannot function without it. That the absence of it causes our view of ourselves and the world around us to be tragically stunted. A beautifully written story about beautiful things can't help but point out the beauty in the world around us. A new level of comprehension, which would have otherwise been barred without a full appreciation of beauty, is unveiled to us.

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3. Their heroes learn and embody true morality.

Stories are extremely effective vehicles for teaching morals and life lessons. Heroes are so easily admired, their actions become a template for others to imitate. We learn both from and alongside them. Through characters in these classic tales, we learn from mistakes we never made, gain wisdom from experience we never had, and appreciate our own lives in an entirely new way. While we typically think of heroes as good, moral, people of class and quality, they do embody humanity both in its positive and negative light. Heroes often have much to learn, and their path to victory is not always a smooth one. Yet their morality is eventually achieved as they encounter obstacles and learn from their errors. The characters living within these stories truly do reflect the essence of what it is to be human, and we can learn a great deal if we only took the time to listen to what they have to say.

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4. They promote creative thought.

Yes, Star Wars can hardly be considered a fairy tale. So what's a gif of BB8 doing here? I can think of few examples that embody the power of story to inspire ingenuity and creativity like this epic saga does. But this is a trait many stories share--the ability to convey ideas in a way that inspires people to go forth and develop their own.

The ability to think creatively is not superficial, irrelevant, or pointless. While it springs from stores, creativity has a infinite number of applications. Creative minds grow into everything from engineers to artists. These individuals think outside of the limitations of what exists in front of them. Their minds thrive where others are stunted. They shape the world we live in, come up with new ideas, and transform the old mundane into something not yet imagined.

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5. They communicate universal truths.

These classic stories are considered timeless for a reason. Their messages, characters, and themes transcend the limitations of culture and era. The most prominent tales come from diverse origins, differing in time period and country and traditions. They feature religious legends, mythologies, and tall tales from various cultures, yet they are able to resonate with us still today. Their commonalities reveal similarities among even the most different of people. Their medium unites people of all sorts to receive and learn and enjoy. Values present are relevant and relatable across wide ranges of cultural groups. Fairytales truly are a common denominator in many ways, drawing together those who otherwise find they have little to nothing in common. Even within similar cultures, our preferences vary, yet fairytales and stories have the unique ability to reach the vast majority of people to make their lasting impact from generation to generation.

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6. They teach acceptance.

In fairytales, the underdog is most always the hero. Despite their miscellaneous faults, foul luck, and oddities, we find ourselves rooting for them. These characters become projections of our own shortcomings, our own insecurities. Their struggles, journey, and victories are ours to claim. By embracing them, we can begin the daunting task of embracing ourselves.

If we take this a step further, we can begin to direct this accepting attitude toward other people as well. Our judgements and apathy fall away as we begin to lose sight of the external faults and appreciate the spirit lying beneath the surface. Superficial flaws lose their power to influence our opinions when we begin to acknowledge that everyone is the hero in their own story, underdog or otherwise.

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7. They give life to dreams.

In a world that tells us our dreams are unattainable, impractical, impossible, fairytales tell us to dream anyway. Not only that, they tell us our dreams are possible, that we truly are in control of our fate, that good actions have consequences just as bad ones do, and that faith is the strongest force of all. An equivalent title for this thought would be that fairytales give us hope. They reignite the spark in us that age and reason have joined forces to shut down. In essence, stories encourage and breathe life into the driving force within us that makes life worth living.

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8. They show that courage is worth it.

It's not everyday we come across a beanstalk leading to a realm of giants in the sky, but in a way, everyone has their own beanstalks to climb in life. Courageous characters inspire us to follow in their actions, and their victories give us the hope possible to achieve our own.

As a child with anxiety, I clung to Belle's unthinkable sacrifice to replace her father as the Beast's prisoner, to Simba's daring return to reclaim his kingdom from his corrupt uncle, to Robin Hood's persistence in doing the right thing, no matter the threats the false king relentlessly flung at him. Their actions were met with victories and happy endings every time, without fail.

Without knowing it, these characters' examples gave me courage in small ways that gradually built upon one another into a foundation of confidence that I never could have constructed on my own. While the guarantee of a happy ending is not a realistic reflection of reality, this pattern instills a hope in us that it is possible to engage in battle against our fears and come out victorious on the other side.

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9. They provide an escape.

Reality can be harsh. One of the many blisses of childhood is being able to escape it on a whim without behaving in a socially-unacceptable way. But even as adults we seek our own means of escape.

Fairytales give us access to endless worlds to explore when our own is bearing down on us heartlessly and relentlessly. These stories provide comfort in the midst of grief, peace in the midst of stress, even adventure in the midst of doldrums. They dazzle us with impossibilities and wishes. They entrance us with magic and mystery. Fantasy is the best sort of diversion, not only because of its ability to overpower reality's affect on our emotions. It touches our souls and diverts our cares, not simply our attention. We escape not only mentally, but emotionally and spiritually into a realm of beauty and wonder. These stories have the power to transcend our commonplace reality and create for us a world of fantasies.

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10. They mirror our reality.

My favorite aspect of fairytales is how much reality is reflected in them when you take the time to notice it. Complex characters have so much to teach us through their errors and triumphs. Their struggles are not entirely different from our own, in spirit anyway. Final Exams can feel like beanstalks, relational conflict like facing a cunning wolf, a new school like entering Wonderland. At their core, fairytales really are just glorified stories of everyday life. Though their execution is crucial to our appreciated and enjoyment of them, we ought not forget how closely tied to them we really are. Their heroes feel what we feel, their villains make mistakes we have made, their worlds are as complex and inconsistent as our own.