The Velveteen Rabbit

ImMaggieMae

 When we were married, almost 44 years ago, the priest added this reading to our wedding ceremony from a children’s book, “The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams. My sister read it at the ceremony. I happened to come across it on the internet and was thinking how much of a deeper meaning it has now.

 "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter.”

Josie in Podunk

This is quite likely my favorite book ever…closely followed by The Giving Tree.

And, I know without doubt what you quoted definitely is my hands down favorite ever.

Thank you for posting this today…I’m having a rough patch and it never fails to bring me some much need peace.

Just…thank you.

Ed1937

It sounds as if he was a very wise priest. That was his gift to you.

Ed1937

Will someone please try to start a new thread? I'd like to know if you can do that because I've tried three times to pass something on, and can't do it. Thanks!

June45

I also love that book and had forgotten how sweet it is. It was one of my daughter's favorite books as a child. I passed my copy on to her after she had children. After reading your post, I just bought the kindle ebook of The Velveteen Rabbit, 1922, 1st edition for 99 cents for myself. My husband has passed and rereading this book now is very meaningful.

jfkoc

A favorite!

RobertsBrown

This was unknown to me until I read it here.

Direct hit.

I seriously can't read this without just breaking down.  It's so beautiful and appropriate and perfect.  I kid myself that I am an author, and then I read something this amazing and I am deeply moved and humbled by the incredible insight and ability of some people.

Thank you for this, you got it so very right.

Rob-

Joydean

Thank you for sharing. I have always loved this book but it definitely has a different meaning now! Thank you!