Was there something you wholeheartedly believed as a child — about how the world worked — that you cling to almost fondly now you know it isn't true?

A natural way to answer

I genuinely believed that adults had everything figured out — that growing up meant arriving at some state of complete certainty. That illusion has long since been shattered, of course. But I look back on that faith almost wistfully; there was a real comfort in assuming the grown-ups had it all under control.

Key phrases to use

• disabuse someone of something — to make someone stop believing something that is mistaken“Let me disabuse you of that notion.”
• take something at face value — to accept something as it appears, without questioning it“He took her promise at face value.”
• shatter — to destroy something completely, especially a belief or hope“The news shattered her confidence.”
• under control — managed successfully, with no danger of problems“Don't worry, everything's under control.”
• tick — to work or function in a particular way“I want to understand how the system ticks.”
• gild everything — to make everything appear more beautiful or golden than it really is“Memory has a way of gilding everything.”
• break — (of a spell or illusion) to come to an end“The spell was broken the moment she spoke.”
• recapture — to experience or feel something from the past again“You can't recapture your youth.”