--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He said, \" You become. It takes a long…" description: "\"“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 edges, or who have to be car..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/margery-williams-33742_long-time_he-said-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time_2097087.jpg" --- # He said, " You become. It takes a long time. That's why it… ![“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 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…” quote by Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/margery-williams-33742_long-time_he-said-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time_2097087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/margery-williams-33742_long-time_he-said-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time_2097087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/margery-williams-33742_long-time_he-said-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time_2097087.jpg) > ““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 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." -The Velveteen Rabbit”” [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authenticity requires time and endurance; true beauty emerges when one is genuine, regardless of outward flaws. **In simple terms:** Being real makes you beautiful. Key Takeaway Embrace growth, be authentic. Themes authenticity beauty resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - relationships - personal development - creative work Key Concepts self-acceptance identity imperfection Questions to Reflect On - How do you define authenticity? - What fears hold you from being real? A Different Perspective Realness may be misunderstood by those who value superficiality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eyes Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-drop-755208/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Real hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-hair/) [Sharp edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp-edges/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Understand Velveteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-velveteen-4172156/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) [Velveteen Rabbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velveteen-rabbit-230197/) ## Related quotes > [“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams-bianco/you-become-it-takes-a-long-time-that-s-why-it-doesn-t-happen-often-to/) [Margery Williams Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams-bianco/) > [Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/generally-by-the-time-you-are-real-most-of-your-hair-has-been-loved/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-said-the-skin-horse-you-become-it-takes/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > ['What is REAL?' asked the Rabbit one day, 'Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?''Real isn't how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/what-is-real-asked-the-rabbit-one-day-does-it-mean-having-things-that/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [“Keep thinking back about what Mum said about being real and the Velveteen Rabbit book (though frankly have had enough trouble with rabbits in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/keep-thinking-back-about-what-mum-said-about-being-real-and-the/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [ \[O\]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/) > [“Because I wanted to keep you forever.’ he whispers. I drop his jaw and step back. ‘You wanted to trap me?’ ‘Yes,’ His eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/because-i-wanted-to-keep-you-forever-he-whispers-i-drop-his-jaw-and/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [When the light of the star which flows into my eyes as a drop of gold first pierced the darkness in space, there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naz-m-hikmet-2/when-the-light-of-the-star-which-flows-into-my-eyes-as-a-drop-of-gold/) [Naz?m Hikmet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naz-m-hikmet-2/) > [I've definitely over-filled and I've definitely had some bad Botox where your eyes drop but, y'know, there's no shame in my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-ve-definitely-over-filled-and-i-ve-definitely-had-some-bad-botox/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) > [“The world eclipses and it’s just her and him. No it’s just her eyes and his soul. Her eyes expose and violate him, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-emunds/the-world-eclipses-and-it-s-just-her-and-him-no-it-s-just-her-eyes/) [Stefan Emunds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-emunds/) > [“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/) > [“Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit-was-made-to-feel-himself-very/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## More by Margery Williams > ['What is REAL?' asked the Rabbit one day, 'Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?''Real isn't how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/what-is-real-asked-the-rabbit-one-day-does-it-mean-having-things-that/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Of what use was it to be loved and lose one's beauty and become Real if it all ended like this? And a tear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/of-what-use-was-it-to-be-loved-and-lose-one-s-beauty-and-become-real/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Real isn't how you are made... It's a thing that happens to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/real-isn-t-how-you-are-made-it-s-a-thing-that-happens-to-you-2/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > ['It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-said-the-skin-horse-you-become-it-takes/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [“Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit-was-made-to-feel-himself-very/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/weeks-passed-and-the-little-rabbit-grew-very-old-and-shabby-but-the/) [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/) > [“He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/he-longed-to-become-real-to-know-what-it-felt-like-and-yet-the-idea/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Once you are real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/once-you-are-real-you-can-t-become-unreal-again-it-lasts-for-always/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/does-it-hurt-asked-the-rabbit-sometimes-said-the-skin-horse-for-he/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [When you are Real, shabbiness doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/when-you-are-real-shabbiness-doesn-t-matter/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/real-isn-t-how-you-are-made-said-the-skin-horse-it-s-a-thing-that-2/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) [Explore all 14 Margery Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## More Hair quotes > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. 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The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I've tried to have a regular haircut, but it just pops back up again, so this is the way it's going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/i-ve-tried-to-have-a-regular-haircut-but-it-just-pops-back-up-again/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [I've got the long hair and kind of androgynous look. It's love-hate; it's sexy, but not sexy. 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