Monday, June 28, 2004
Mattie J. T. Stepanek
I don't think that I have every posted on the subject of my job but today calls for something different. Mattie Stepanek died last week. He was a only 13 years old but he spent most of his life at Children's Hospital. He had a rare form of muscular dystrophy. But that is not why many people know his name. Mattie wrote many book of poetry and I was fortunate enough to hear him read them at the hospital. His poems are excellent! He wrote expressing ideas an adult would write about. The young man was full of optimism.
Today was his funeral and many very well-known people spoke including President Jimmy Carter and Opray Wilfey. My boss represented Children's Hospital and made quite an impression remarks as quoted by the Washington Post.
Here is an example of Mattie's work:
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 12, 2001
� Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
Used with permission from Hope Through Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002
PermaLink | 8:15 PM |
|
Today was his funeral and many very well-known people spoke including President Jimmy Carter and Opray Wilfey. My boss represented Children's Hospital and made quite an impression remarks as quoted by the Washington Post.
Here is an example of Mattie's work:
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 12, 2001
� Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
Used with permission from Hope Through Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002
PermaLink | 8:15 PM |
| 
