In a world that works to defy reality and create a fake version of it, there is a softness and tenderness in being a person who is authentic and allows themselves to be truly real.
I remember my dad bringing home a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit. So many of my favorite books as a kid came from my dad. I remember us reading this one out loud for the first time, and I think my dad was astonished too—perhaps even taken aback by the truth of the story and the heartbreak within it as well.
If you have not read this children’s classic, know that there is more underneath it, like so many good children’s classics. They present truth in simple ways that hit deep. Yes, even deep enough to touch a thirty-something dad of two young girls as he read the story.
The premise is that a stuffed toy rabbit longs to become “Real,” a magical transformation that only happens when a child truly and deeply loves a toy for a long time. After becoming the favorite companion of a young boy, the rabbit grows shabby and worn from constant affection, but is deeply content knowing he is real to his owner. When the boy falls ill and the germ-ridden toy is ordered to be burned, a magical fairy saves the rabbit and transforms him into a living, breathing animal.
I especially remember the parts about the old horse comparing the sweet rabbit, who had the potential to become real, to the “shiny toys.” In The Velveteen Rabbit, the Skin Horse explains that becoming “Real” is a transformative process driven by a child’s deep, enduring love rather than physical appearance or construction. It is a long, often painful process that happens “bit by bit” through being loved, eventually leading to a worn, shabby state that the Horse argues is not truly ugly to those who understand.
In this modern world, it is easy to get caught in the trap of believing our outer beauty should constantly be improved and controlled. Everywhere we turn, we are told to stay young, flawless, and “pretty enough.” It feels sad to see even young girls growing up under so much pressure to perfect their appearance, with beauty messages that quietly whisper, you are not enough yet. Though the pressures may look different, I think many of us—men and women alike—carry that same quiet ache to be accepted, lovable, and enough.
Deep down, aren’t many of us still carrying the insecurities of our younger selves? Just because I am in my forties now doesn’t mean I need to spend my life chasing youth or trying to become more beautiful.
God is coming alongside me in many different ways and showing me a softer way. Perhaps becoming real is learning that peace matters more than perfection. It is hard because it is not loud. It does not get all the attention on social media posts (if it ever gets posted at all). But the Bible says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” (1 Peter 3:3–4)
I stop and think about it… who are the most beautiful people I know in my life? I think of people of all ages, sizes, genetic makeups, talents, gifts, and abilities. What makes them beautiful is not necessarily their outward appearance. Does that remind you of a verse? “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
They may have tired blue eyes or wrinkled laugh lines. They may have thinning hair. They may not be the size they once imagined they would be at this age. Does any of that truly matter? What matters is what is in the heart.
I know the Lord is gently guiding me, leading me on the journey to “becoming real.” No, that doesn’t mean I will forsake my night face lotion (ha ha), but it means being a little more comfortable in the skin I am in. It means working more on what is on the inside of me—letting that out—than working on what is on the outside. It means being a caring, generous, faithful friend and mother. It means doing the hard work on my knees, praying for situations that often don’t seem to budge. It means getting in the Word and filling myself with the best “tonic”—better than the fountain of youth—the words of Jesus that bring life to our very bodies. “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63)
Sure, maybe you will see me sporting a new dress, a new pair of glasses or contacts, or a different hairstyle, but I truly hope that beyond that you see a little (or big) glimpse of Jesus looking back at you. That my words would be His words. That my prayers would be genuine. That my love and words would come from a place of grace.
It might mean less social media or looking at “my” life, and more focus on God, on His people, and on the beauty around me that He has provided. I hope that when you see me, you see a woman who is becoming real. Yes, perhaps she has a few laugh-line wrinkles and her eyes may seem tired. Outwardly she may not be “shiny” and put together. But her spirit springs forth—bringing life, encouragement, and Jesus to those around her.
I wish the same for you too, friend. Never forget to bloom where you are planted. Never wait until you have the perfect capsule wardrobe, the best skincare, or the latest thing social media says we need for a contented, beautiful life. A beautiful life is one filled with Jesus and allowing Him to impact everything in your day.
A beautiful life is becoming real—yes, perhaps threadbare as the years go on, but closer and closer to glory one step at a time. May we always remember it is for His glory, for His love, that we live. Not for our own glory, fame, beauty, or acceptance, but that we would be fully loved by Him (yes, like the sweet threadbare Velveteen Rabbit), and that others may see and know Him through us.
Maybe becoming real was the beauty we were searching for all along.
Until next time,
Melanie Talevski 
FROGGY…in the box!😊
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