For Our World

With so much going on around us, we tend to forget the simple truths in life. I remembered Mattie Stepanek today. This angel, who came to this earth, lived for 14 years with the wisdom of a 1000 year old. (1990-2004)

Each time I think of him, tears well in my eyes and my heart bursts with Love. The love that he lived and practiced, in his few years on earth. His poems are like medicine to the wounded heart. His songs make me weep and after the shower of tears, I feel soothed and calmed. Cleansed of all the impurities I have collected along the way. His poems are like the waves on the beach, coming to wash the dirt away.......

He began writing when he was about 3 years old. Before he passed away in June, 2004, Mattie had written thousands of poems, dozens of essays and short stories, and presented a bound anthology of his writing to the Library of Congress.

Mattie’s poems of peace and hope have touched millions of lives; his heartsongs continues to reach people of all ages around the world. His life view is one of love and generosity and as a poet and a peacemaker, his desire is to bring his message of peace to as many people as possible.

In Mattie’s words, “we must remember to play after every storm and to celebrate the gift of life as we have it, or else life becomes a task, rather than a gift. We must always listen to the song in our heart, and share that song with others.”


FOR OUR WORLD

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment.
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment.
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment.
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice.
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment.
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.

September 11, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
From the book HOPE THROUGH HEARTSONGS