The Velveteen Rabbit

Or How Toys Become Real

By Margery Williams

 Illustrations by William Nicholson

 Originally published in 1922

Once upon a time, my Mother made me a cute little bright pink rabbit out of corduroy.  It was my own little velveteen rabbit.  I remember a homemade felt carrot and cabbage for the rabbit to eat.  The fate of these toys is unknown to me now, but I still have my childhood copy of The Velveteen Rabbit.  

This magical story contains lessons important for all ages, but my favorite lesson is one that the old Skin Horse gives to the brand new Velveteen Rabbit.

“When you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Our outside appearances just don’t matter much.  It’s what is inside that counts.  This is a lesson I need to keep in mind when the way a person dresses, accessorizes, or wears their hair impels me to judge them too quickly.  

Take a lesson from the Skin Horse.  It doesn’t matter if your joints are loose and your hair has been rubbed off when the reason for your physical condition is a life of loving and being loved.