Once upon a time there was a way to use fairy tales to tell stories about loneliness and the endings weren’t always happy.

Fairy tales are stories that matter to those alone and those wanting an escape. Because they are all about isolation–the hero or the heroine are often cast out on their own.

They seek refuge in forests that seem dark and threatening. But in those scary, unwelcoming places, they find the unexpected and the occasional magic. Not everyone has a fairy godmother who appears and waves a wand

But the tale behind these stories is often this: anyone can escape the forest of loneliness.