Real...

When I think about "Real" the first thing that comes to mind is the Velveteen Rabbit.  I loved that story as a kid, but it always made me sad that the rabbit was so threadbare.  I think I get it a little bit more now...

Real childbirth is messy, it's not pretty nor usually fun, but it's real.

Raising children is not always fun or easy, but it is real.

A real marriage is not like the movies.

All these things we see in the media and online aren't real.  They're pictures of what some people think is ideal.  The problem is, I bet if we could actually live like that we wouldn't be happy either.

Real life requires highs and lows.  Can you really understand joy and happiness if you've never known hurt and sorrow?  Can you be grateful for what you have unless you know what it is to not have? (not that I know much about not having, living here)

It's not easy, and sometimes I wish I could live in a fairy tale, but in the end I think that would be boring.  Real life is exciting, hard, messy, but it is also full of surprises, bright spots that shine, and things to remember and treasure for years to come.

And real life leaves it's mark along the way, leaving us just a little bit more threadbare than the pictures we see.

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?