“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.” (page 13)

It’s funny how ideas and images from childhood will pop up in adulthood. A few weeks ago, I made reference to some themes of the story ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ while journaling and I was suddenly overcome with a desire to read it again. That night, I dreamt it and the next day, I sought it out in the bookstore.

You can spend a lot of money and get a fancy, specially bound, glossy-paged, remastered edition of this book. Or, you can get the simple, lovely Avon Camelot edition which is under $5. It tickles me that you can still buy a quality and somewhat life-changing book for a pocket full of change.

I don’t remember when I first heard this story, but as a child I always loved it. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, the Velveteen Rabbit is a stuffed toy who became ‘Real’ because a little boy loved him.

The book is filled with sweet quotes and ideas that are, of course, applicable in a metaphorical way to life: being loved may hurt, it may beat the stuffing out of you, it may cause you to droop and lose your hair and become floppy and faded. But only love can make you real. A sweet message for cynical times.