Becoming Real

Today I washed Winston’s (my one eyed Shih tzu) favorite toy…Rocky.

It is a raccoon that was given to Winston for Christmas by Bobbi several years ago.  It quickly became his favorite and although he has a toy box full of toys, Rocky is the one that he usually pulls out when he wants to play or just wants a companion.

Rocky is well worn and has to be washed periodically because he smells so awful, it permeates the whole house.  Winston is a little anxious when he sees Rocky going into the washing machine and is always glad when the ordeal is over and Rocky is once again back in the toy box.

This morning when I took Rocky out of the washer and put him on the patio table to dry, I was reminded of the Velveteen Rabbit quote.  Rocky has lost an ear and the other ear probably won’t last much longer, his fur is worn, but he is much loved by Winston who does not notice the flaws.

Patrick said he was not familiar with the Velveteen Rabbit quote and of course, I looked it up for him…

In the book “The Velveteen Rabbit” the Velveteen Rabbit asks the Skin Horse “What is real?”  The Skin Horse explains “Real isn’t how you are made.…It’s a thing that happens to you.”

“You become.  It takes a long time.  That is 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 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.”

This has been a difficult year for so many of us, but I have learned, I don’t break easily and I don’t have to be carefully kept.  I do still have sharp edges at times, but I am learning to dull them down a little.  I know that I am loved by friends and family and by my Heavenly Father.  Yes, my hair is grey, my vision is not so good anymore and sometimes my joints hurt…and I feel shabby.  But the quote has proven true, these things don’t matter…I am becoming Real.

During this Holiday Season, I wish you Joy and that you are loved so much you may become Real.

“Because once you are Real you can’t become unreal again.  It lasts for always.”

And to the world “Peace on Earth, Good Will towards Men.”