I love the story of the Velveteen Rabbit...my favorite part of the story is when the Skin Horse is describing to the rabbit what it is like to become Real.
"The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
"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 happen often 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 your 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 suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.
"The Boy's Uncle made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."
The Rabbit sighed. He thought it would be a long time before this magic called Real happened to him. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him. "
"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 happen often 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 your 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 suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.
"The Boy's Uncle made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."
The Rabbit sighed. He thought it would be a long time before this magic called Real happened to him. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him. "
I am watching people become Real. It is messy, stressful, painful, and beautiful all at the same time. Why does our becoming what God created us to be have to be so messy, stressful and painful? It seems so much more appealing to be like one of those special kept dolls, you know the ones you put under glass. Unfortunately, it seems that this is not what God has intended for those He calls His. We are definitely called to become Real...with Him and with each other.
Here is to having your hair loved off, your eyes drop out, becoming loose in the joints and shabby...in Jesus Name!
9 comments:
..loose in the joints and shabby, now that describes it...yes, that's me, searcing for "real":) At least I think my eyes are still in their sockets...for now anyway.
If those words could paint a picture, it would be me! Isn't it good that once God redeems our souls, they can't be unredeemed?
What about gaining weight, loosing sleep, additional gray "hares", and poor vision?!! Of course, if I would stop blogging into the night, I might get a better handle on the sleep thing ;)
Great post, Cherie. Incidentally, I just bought the "Velveteen Rabbit" to use in Craig's schooling! Can't wait to read it again.
Hmmmm? Was that Jennifer BAKER that just commented?!!!! --Watch out fellow bloggers....she's crossed over into Blogdom :) lol
Yes..I do believe that this is OUR Jennifer! So good to see you here. Thanks for sharing and I hope you come back and do it again:)
Julie...be prepared to cry. It as been a long time since I've read the whole book, but it makes me cry everytime!
Julie and Cherie,
I believe we have the Velveteen Rabbit on video. Erin loved that movie when she was little. As a matter of fact, we have a whole library of Feature Films for Families that have a godly, moral message behind every story line. If you ever need any for school, or just to watch, let me know.
P.S.
Oh, yeah. I have the weight and bad sight thing down, doncha know?
Dale,
We love Feature Films for Families. We have acquired a fine collection ourselves. It is so difficult to find entertainment that supports the morals we teach our children.
Thanks, Dale. I might take you up on that offer!
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