I love Velveteen Rabbit quotes and I hope you do, too. Margery Williams’ 1922 children’s classic, The Velveteen Rabbit, reminds us of what it means to be a genuine. It also reminds us about the power of great books to transform how we look at the world. Here are some Velveteen Rabbit quotes:
“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.”
I used to read this book to my daughters. Have you become “loose in the joints and very shabby” yet? If so, congratulations!
P.S. I am an ex-shrink who writes novels. Check out my books here.
No, very tight in the joints and achy, but yes, shabby, so I guess I get half-credit. But I thought that was just aging.
Hi John,
I know what you mean! I like to think of the process as becoming “real” as opposed to aging, though. It seems less destructive somehow. 😉
Oh, yes, what a great story that is! And reminding me of the story, Susan, interpretation of my getting looser in the joints and shabbier every day!
Thanks,
Anne
Thanks for commenting, Anne. Maybe this is where the phrase “not too shabby” comes from?
Also, from one of our lovely email subscribers:
“A wonderful wonderful reminder. Thank you!” Melissa
What a great excerpt. I’m sure I read that story as a child, and I’ve been meaning to read it to my kids, but I haven’t yet. Must do it.
I read this to my boys many times when they were young.
It was always so hard to get through the whole book without tearing up.
A very thoughtful story❤️
I know what you mean, Greta. It is a very touching story. I love it, too.