Which story do you prefer?

We are just back from a quick spring break trip to Phoenix.  We left Friday night and returned last night.  Kind of a whirlwind trip full of a bit of travel adventure (delayed flight, long security line, delayed bag, etc.)  Even with that we managed to escape our standard routine and were reminded how warm weather and sun feels.  We swam, floated on the lazy river, hiked up Squaw Peak and sat outside for as many hours as possible.

While we were there we also got to experience young Brandon losing his first tooth.  This thing had been nagging him for awhile and he became a bit obsessed with it.  Bottom front so it hurt to eat his bagel, pizza, any regular food - except ice cream - ice cream slid right down.  Outside of embracing a full on liquid diet I watched him become determined to get that thing out.  He wiggled it with his tongue, finger, napkin, anything that would move that little bugger.  We joked about "in the old days we tied a string to the tooth and a door knob" legends and all had a good laugh.  We reminisced about the tooth that seemed to hang by a thread in Cameron's mouth for what seemed like a good six months. Then, while sitting at dinner, Brandon just started yanking on it and didn't stop until it came out.  We celebrated, he swished with some water and we secured the tiny little tooth in my sunglass case for safe keeping.  

Discussions quickly turned to the tooth fairy - is it a he or a she?  How big is he/she?  Would the fairy find us in Phoenix?  Get the right hotel and room?  Much debate and the final decision was that the tooth would travel back to Chicago and be placed under Brandon's pillow where the fairy would know exactly where to find him for future tooth collecting.  He asked to see his tooth almost hourly and I knew that I could lose my entire purse, luggage, all electronics on our trip home but I COULD NOT LOSE THAT TOOTH!  

We arrived safely at home and soon after I heard, "Mom, I have my tooth - I'll be upstairs" at bedtime.  His grin was ear to ear as he placed the tooth under his pillow and couldn't get me out of the room quickly enough so he could fall fast asleep.  He awoke this morning to a crisp one dollar bill and was thrilled that the fairy really came like he hoped he/she would.  He believed and it worked, just as he believed.  

The subject of this post is tied to Cameron and I watching Life of Pi on our return flight yesterday. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I have never read the book so I only have the movie to reference.  A pretty amazing story which has kept me thinking.  The question, which story to you prefer? can be applied to so many circumstances.  I, personally, want to believe the animal version but critical thinking tells me that isn't possible.  Still, that's the one I want to believe.  

Then I find myself applying that question back to the tooth fairy with my kids - which do you prefer?  I even find myself applying it to my personal relationships and things that may or may not be true.  Is it ok to believe the version you want to believe is true or does critical thinking prove that isn't possible?  I could go on - we have Easter coming up, again, what's true and what's possible?  

I do know that life and perspectives change every day and how we see things can vary a great deal based on what we believe is true.  So my little boy's mouth landscape is forever changing which means he's growing up.  Just like each day, what we learn and how we change prepares us for the next day.  

Thanks to Pi and the tooth fairy for prompting this reflection.