--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep thinking back about what Mum said…" description: "\"“Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have had enough trouble with rabbits in this par..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png" --- # Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real… ![“Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have had enough trouble with rabbits in this particular house). My favorite book, she claims of which I have no memory was about how little kids get one toy that they love more than all the…” quote by Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png) > ““Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have had enough trouble with rabbits in this particular house). My favorite book, she claims of which I have no memory was about how little kids get one toy that they love more than all the others, and even when its fur has been rubbed off, and it's gone saggy with bits missing, the little child still thinks it's the most beautiful toy in the world, and can't bear to be parted from it. That's how it works, when people really love each other, Mum whispered on the way out in the Debenhams lift, as if she was confessing some hideous and embarrassing secret. But, the thing is, darling, it doesn't happen to ones who have sharp edges, or break if they get dropped, or ones made of silly synthetic stuff that doesn't last. You have to be brave and let the other person know who you are and what you feel.”” [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True love endures despite wear and tear, unlike fragile or synthetic relationships that break under strain. **In simple terms:** Real love lasts despite flaws. Key Takeaway Be honest and brave in love. Themes love authenticity vulnerability Mood reflective hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - long‑term partnership - parent‑child bond - friendship - pet ownership Key Concepts attachment theory impermanence self‑disclosure Questions to Reflect On - Do you accept imperfect love? - How does honesty deepen connection? A Different Perspective If you hide flaws, love may feel shallow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-yourself/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Favorite book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite-book/) [Love Mum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-mum-692882/) [Mum Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mum-said/) [Mum Whispered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mum-whispered-1623219/) [Sharp edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp-edges/) [Thinking Mum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-mum-4624233/) [Toy Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toy-love-714495/) [Velveteen Rabbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velveteen-rabbit-230197/) ## Related quotes > [“She was beaten to death, I once told some boys at a party. Oh shit mate, they said. I lie about how you died,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-porter/she-was-beaten-to-death-i-once-told-some-boys-at-a-party-oh-shit-mate/) [Max Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-porter/) > [Trixie is like a hyper-feminine child's toy who has it all. I love looking like I'm from Toys 'R Us but serving off-color comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/trixie-is-like-a-hyper-feminine-child-s-toy-who-has-it-all-i-love/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [“I want to be softened, not stiff. Pliable, not rigid. I don't want anyone to look at my life and think it is perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerusalem-jackson-greer/i-want-to-be-softened-not-stiff-pliable-not-rigid-i-don-t-want-anyone/) [Jerusalem Jackson Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerusalem-jackson-greer/) > [Everytime I luv toy there's more love too give too you our love lasts a life time but a day with you the times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hood/everytime-i-luv-toy-there-s-more-love-too-give-too-you-our-love-lasts/) [Courtney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hood/) > [Let me tell you something: You can live in a broken home, you can play with a broken toy, but you cannot love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-pollen/let-me-tell-you-something-you-can-live-in-a-broken-home-you-can-play/) [Bella Pollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-pollen/) > [“He said, " You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/he-said-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time-that-s-why-it-doesn-t-happen/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [ \[O\]nce you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." - The Skin Horse from The Velveteen Rabbit ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/o-nce-you-are-real-you-can-t-be-ugly-except-to-people-who-don-t/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [“For just a moment, I thought about it. I pictured how it would be, dusting off the rusty Romance Lindsey, long hidden in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/for-just-a-moment-i-thought-about-it-i-pictured-how-it-would-be/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [It is bad when you feel like a toy and your love playing with you and when you became old toy she looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiko/it-is-bad-when-you-feel-like-a-toy-and-your-love-playing-with-you-and/) [Shiko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiko/) > [“The worst criminals on earth are those who toy with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/the-worst-criminals-on-earth-are-those-who-toy-with-love/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [You can live in a broken home, you can play with a broken toy, but you cannot love with a broken heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-live-in-a-broken-home-you-can-play-with-a-broken-toy-but-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the classic children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit, a stuffed animal becomes “real” because of a child’s love. Tamagotchis do not wait passively but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/in-the-classic-children-s-story-the-velveteen-rabbit-a-stuffed-animal/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“There was something about the possession of a book that was important to me. Owning it gave me proprietary rights on the story. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-bell/there-was-something-about-the-possession-of-a-book-that-was-important/) [Georgia Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-bell/) > [If you're lucky enough to come from, I was very lucky when I grew up, I grew up in a house fill of love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kemp/if-you-re-lucky-enough-to-come-from-i-was-very-lucky-when-i-grew-up-i/) [Martin Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kemp/) > [I was out with my mum when a man started screaming at me: 'Georgia Groome. I love you.' Mum and I just looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-groome/i-was-out-with-my-mum-when-a-man-started-screaming-at-me-georgia/) [Georgia Groome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-groome/) ## More by Helen Fielding > [“I will not fall for any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitment phobics, people with girlfriends or wives, misogynists, megalomanics, chauvists, emotional fuckwits or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/i-will-not-fall-for-any-of-the-following-alcoholics-workaholics/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“barometer of success in later life is not that they always win, but how they deal with failure. An ability to pick themselves up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/barometer-of-success-in-later-life-is-not-that-they-always-win-but/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“One has to be in control, otherwise the whole dynamic becomes a total disaster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/one-has-to-be-in-control-otherwise-the-whole-dynamic-becomes-a-total/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“it’s a bit like if we were on a planet where all the space creatures were short, green and fat. Except a very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/it-s-a-bit-like-if-we-were-on-a-planet-where-all-the-space-creatures/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [If we can't have comedy books written about aspects of womanhood without going into a panic attack about it, then we haven't got very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/if-we-can-t-have-comedy-books-written-about-aspects-of-womanhood/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [Though with Bridget Jones's Baby: the Diaries, I'd like to make it clear that I did not ever get pregnant by two men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/though-with-bridget-jones-s-baby-the-diaries-i-d-like-to-make-it/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [ I'd always hoped to write the story as a novel, but there was a long period when the \[Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries\] movie… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/i-d-always-hoped-to-write-the-story-as-a-novel-but-there-was-a-long/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“Resolution number one: Obviously will lose twenty pounds. Number two: Always put last night's panties in the laundry basket. Equally important, will find sensible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/resolution-number-one-obviously-will-lose-twenty-pounds-number-two/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [ With most of the events in the books \[ Bridget Jones Diaries \] I draw a little bit from my own life and some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/with-most-of-the-events-in-the-books-bridget-jones-diaries-i-draw-a/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“Bet I will become known as brilliant cook and hostess”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/bet-i-will-become-known-as-brilliant-cook-and-hostess/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [I always market research my books before I hand them in by showing them to five or six close friends who I trust to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/i-always-market-research-my-books-before-i-hand-them-in-by-showing/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“It’s no good. When someone leaves you, apart from missing them, apart from the fact that the whole little world you’ve created together collapses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/it-s-no-good-when-someone-leaves-you-apart-from-missing-them-apart/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [Of course the chronology of the books is a bit back- to - front, and books usually come out before movies. But happily, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/of-course-the-chronology-of-the-books-is-a-bit-back-to-front-and/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [“The worst is the thought that they tried you out and, in the end , the whole sum of parts which adds up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/the-worst-is-the-thought-that-they-tried-you-out-and-in-the-end-the/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [Nobody wants to be racist and I think that most people aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/nobody-wants-to-be-racist-and-i-think-that-most-people-aren-t/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) [Explore all 158 Helen Fielding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) ## More Be yourself quotes > [Be proud of who you are & who you represent.You are unique, there is no other exactly like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/be-proud-of-who-you-are-who-you-represent-you-are-unique-there-is-no/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Make-up can't cover up an ugly personality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-up-can-t-cover-up-an-ugly-personality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I does wat I does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-does-wat-i-does/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Change nothing, just be yourself to experience peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/change-nothing-just-be-yourself-to-experience-peace/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [No matter how badly people treat you, never drop down to their level. It will only excite them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-badly-people-treat-you-never-drop-down-to-their-level/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [My true Self is free. I cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-true-self-is-free-i-cannot-be-contained/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Why is it that anyone can pretend to be someone there not and never be someone they are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akeem/why-is-it-that-anyone-can-pretend-to-be-someone-there-not-and-never/) [Akeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akeem/) > [You can never change the Past, not control the future. But, you can change the mood of the day, by touching someone's Heart with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/you-can-never-change-the-past-not-control-the-future-but-you-can/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Just be you. Do what you love. I've learned that in the end, you can't make everyone happy no matter what you say or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/just-be-you-do-what-you-love-i-ve-learned-that-in-the-end-you-can-t/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Nothing has power over you unless you allow it. No matter what happens, you can choose what and how to think, act, and speak!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-has-power-over-you-unless-you-allow-it-no-matter-what-happens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be who you want to be, not what people want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-who-you-want-to-be-not-what-people-want-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm might not be the best , I might not be strongest or the fastest or the smart ,but I'm sure as hades ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/i-m-might-not-be-the-best-i-might-not-be-strongest-or-the-fastest-or/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I'm not a person to judge but I really don't care for people that follow I love the ones that want to lead unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-brown/i-m-not-a-person-to-judge-but-i-really-don-t-care-for-people-that/) [Jordan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-brown/) [Browse all 2,115 Be yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have had enough trouble with rabbits in this particular house). My favorite book, she claims of which I have no memory was about how little kids get one toy that they love more than all the others, and even when its fur has been rubbed off, and it's gone saggy with bits missing, the little child still thinks it's the most beautiful toy in the world, and can't bear to be parted from it. That's how it works, when people really love each other, Mum whispered on the way out in the Debenhams lift, as if she was confessing some hideous and embarrassing secret. But, the thing is, darling, it doesn't happen to ones who have sharp edges, or break if they get dropped, or ones made of silly synthetic stuff that doesn't last. You have to be brave and let the other person know who you are and what you feel.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Fielding" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-about-being-real-and-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-about-being-real-and-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a5/helen-fielding-2564_be-yourself_keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-a_2979030.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have…” — Helen Fielding", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen Fielding", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Keep thinking back about what Mum...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-about-being-real-and-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-about-being-real-and-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```