In one of my favorite children's books, The Velveteen Rabbit, a small stuffed rabbit toy who is much beloved by his child is curious about becoming "real". He asks the wise, old, rocking horse to tell him how it happens.

The reply is, "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 people we work with every day have become REAL. Some can't see well, their hair has been loved off, the joints have become loose, and they might appear shabby. But not to us!

Because we understand...we see past the outside to the gnizama person that is inside...we care. Think of each of your clients for a moment...I am positive that your first thought of them is NOT the ugly or shabby part but instead their laugh, smile, stories or gratitude.

They have become REAL to us because we love them.