The Velveteen Rabbit

Margery Williams, in her exquisite ‘Velveteen Rabbit’ reacquaints us with the concept of being ‘real’.

‘Real isn’t how you are made, it’s a thing that happens to you’ – is a favorite line shared by the wise old Skin Horse to the rabbit.

The little boy in the story loved the rabbit enough to make the rabbit real, to him. But that was not complete enough. Later, the rabbit became real – to everyone.

Near the end of the story the fairy in the flower said, ‘Run and play little rabbit!’

And that seems to be the magnificent message . . . Run and play, little rabbit. Run and play. Be your REAL self. Don’t forget about those hind legs you haven’t used in a while. Run and play, now that you are real – knowing that you can’t become unreal again.

Run and play, knowing all the limitations of being unreal have vanished.

Run, and play, little rabbit.

Run and play.