The White Rabbit

By Kalpana Kumari

There was once a rabbit born to a loving mother. She cared for him deeply, but from the very beginning, she told him something that stuck in his heart, “You’re not quite the right shade of white, my dear.” Though she loved him, her words planted a doubt within him that never left. He was never “white enough” not perfect like other rabbits and that thought haunted him. So, day after day, he tried to paint himself white, again and again, desperately attempting to become the perfect white his mother spoke of. But, no matter how much he painted, he never felt any different. He tried harder, believing that perfection was something he could achieve if only he could get it just right.

Years passed, and though he grew up, the belief that something was wrong with him never faded. The thought of his imperfection stayed with him, hidden deep inside. He continued to paint, to change, to mold himself into something he thought would be worthy of love, just like he had been told. 

Times changed. He started his own family and soon enough, he became a father. He held his newborn in his hands, filled with joy and pride. His child was a beautiful little bunny. He gazed at his baby and was filled with overwhelming joy. He was too in love with the baby, too caught up in the moment. It was only when some visitor casually remarked, “Your baby has brown fur, unlike your perfect white coat,” that the rabbit paused, as if struck by a sudden thought.

He looked down at his child, as if truly looking for the first time. His baby’s fur was indeed brown. And yet, it did not matter at all. It was just a colour out of many. The comment had made him see something he had never paid attention to before. He had spent so many years, putting so much effort into painting himself, believing that he wasn’t “white enough,” that he needed to change to be loved. But suddenly, it hit him. All those years, he had been white the whole time. He never needed to change himself. His baby’s fur didn’t matter. He realised that love was never about the color. His baby was perfect, just as he was. And so was he.

The rabbit, filled with a sense of clarity, smiled down at his child. He didn’t need to paint himself anymore. The white fur that had always been there was enough. The thought of his mother’s words faded away, as he realized something important: he had always been worthy of love, just as he was.

He whispered softly to himself, “I am enough.”

And for the first time in his life, he truly believed it.

By Kalpana Kumari