my hero: Mattie Stepanek
my hero: Mattie Stepanek [Jan. 6th, 2005|04:06 pm]
i dont expect you to read all of this, but read a little and thank God that he gave you another day.
"People are now fighting about how our heartsongs are different, but they don't need to be the same. … That's the beauty. We are a mosaic of gifts. Each of us has our inner beauty no matter how we look," says Mattie. On September 11, after learning about the terrorist attacks, Mattie wrote this poignant poem.
It was a dark day in America. There was no Amazing Grace.
Freedom did not ring.
Tragedy attacked sky-high.
Fiery terror reigned.
Structures collapsed.
Red with blood, white with ash,
And out-of-the-sky blue.
As children trust elders,
Citizens find faith in leaders.
But all were blinded,
Shocked by the blasts.
Undefiable outrage.
Undeniable outpouring
Of support, even prayer,
Or at least moments of silence.
Church and State
Could not be separated.
A horrific blasting of events
With too few happy endings.
Can the children sleep
Safely in their beds tonight?
Can the citizens ever rest
Assured of national security again?
God, please, bless America…
And the rest of our earthly home.
September 11, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
I have a song, deep in my heart,
And only I can hear it.
If I close my eyes and sit very still
It is so easy to listen to my song.
When my eyes are open and
I am so busy and moving and busy,
If I take time and listen very hard,
I can still hear my Heartsong.
It makes me feel happy.
Happier than ever.
Happier than everywhere
And everything and everyone
In the whole wide world
Happy like thinking about Going to Heaven when I die.
My Heartsong sounds like this:
I love you! I love you!
How happy you can be!
How happy you can make
The whole world be!
And sometimes it's other
Tunes and words, too,
But it always sings the
Same special feeling to me.
It makes me think of
Jamie, and Katie and Stevie,
And other wonderful things.
This is my special song.
But do you know what?
All people have a special song
Inside their hearts!
Everyone in the show wide world
Has a special Heartsong.
If you believe in magical, musical hearts,
And if you believe you can be happy,
Then you, too, will hear your song.
March 1996
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
A champion is a winner,
A hero…
Someone who never give up
Even when the going gets rough.
A champion is a member of
A winning team…
Someone who overcomes challenges
Even when it requires creative solutions
A champion is an optimist,
A hopeful spirit…
Someone who plays the game,
Even when the game is called life…
Especially when the game is called life.
There can be a champion in each of us,
If we live as a winner,
If we live as a member of the team,
If we live with a hopeful spirit,
For life
September 1999
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
"One of my favorites is 'Prayer for a Journey,' from the beginning of the book. I think it's so important, especially now, when everybody is feeling a sense a fear…to look at what you have in your life and have sense of gratitude-to see the miracles in your life." - Oprah
Thank You, God,
Not just for life,
But for our journey through life.
Life is a miracle,
And a journey through life
Is so full of so many more miracles
If we travel with our Heartsongs.
Thank You, God,
For blessing me with the
Gift of Heartsongs,
So that I can enjoy my miracles.
April 1998
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
Our eyes are for looking at things,
But they are also for crying
When we are very happy or very sad.
Our ears are for listening,
But so are our hearts.
Our noses are for smelling food,
But also the wind and the grass and
If we try very hard, butterflies.
Our hands are for feeling,
But also for hugging and touching so gently.
Our mouths and tongues are for tasting,
But also for saying words, like
"I love you," and
"Thank You, God. For all of these things."
April 1995
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
When I die, I want to be
A child in Heaven.
I want to be
A ten-year-old cherub.
I want to be
A hero in Heaven,
And a peacemaker,
Just like my goal on Earth.
I will ask God if I can
Help the people in Purgatory.
I will help them think,
About their life,
And their spirits,
About their future.
I will help them
Hear their Heartsongs again,
So they can finally
See the face of God,
So soon.
When I die,
I want to be,
Just like I want to be
Here on[?] Earth.
November 1999
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
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
When the moon sets
Over your shoulder
As the sun rises
Bright towards your face,
What's in the middle?
Your life is…
Filled with choices
For each moment, each place.
We live between the
Past and the future,
In the moment of our
Here, now, today.
Can we cope with the
Daily life stresses?
If we humbly accept…
We must pray.
December 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
i dont expect you to read all of this, but read a little and thank God that he gave you another day.
"People are now fighting about how our heartsongs are different, but they don't need to be the same. … That's the beauty. We are a mosaic of gifts. Each of us has our inner beauty no matter how we look," says Mattie. On September 11, after learning about the terrorist attacks, Mattie wrote this poignant poem.
It was a dark day in America. There was no Amazing Grace.
Freedom did not ring.
Tragedy attacked sky-high.
Fiery terror reigned.
Structures collapsed.
Red with blood, white with ash,
And out-of-the-sky blue.
As children trust elders,
Citizens find faith in leaders.
But all were blinded,
Shocked by the blasts.
Undefiable outrage.
Undeniable outpouring
Of support, even prayer,
Or at least moments of silence.
Church and State
Could not be separated.
A horrific blasting of events
With too few happy endings.
Can the children sleep
Safely in their beds tonight?
Can the citizens ever rest
Assured of national security again?
God, please, bless America…
And the rest of our earthly home.
September 11, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
I have a song, deep in my heart,
And only I can hear it.
If I close my eyes and sit very still
It is so easy to listen to my song.
When my eyes are open and
I am so busy and moving and busy,
If I take time and listen very hard,
I can still hear my Heartsong.
It makes me feel happy.
Happier than ever.
Happier than everywhere
And everything and everyone
In the whole wide world
Happy like thinking about Going to Heaven when I die.
My Heartsong sounds like this:
I love you! I love you!
How happy you can be!
How happy you can make
The whole world be!
And sometimes it's other
Tunes and words, too,
But it always sings the
Same special feeling to me.
It makes me think of
Jamie, and Katie and Stevie,
And other wonderful things.
This is my special song.
But do you know what?
All people have a special song
Inside their hearts!
Everyone in the show wide world
Has a special Heartsong.
If you believe in magical, musical hearts,
And if you believe you can be happy,
Then you, too, will hear your song.
March 1996
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
A champion is a winner,
A hero…
Someone who never give up
Even when the going gets rough.
A champion is a member of
A winning team…
Someone who overcomes challenges
Even when it requires creative solutions
A champion is an optimist,
A hopeful spirit…
Someone who plays the game,
Even when the game is called life…
Especially when the game is called life.
There can be a champion in each of us,
If we live as a winner,
If we live as a member of the team,
If we live with a hopeful spirit,
For life
September 1999
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
"One of my favorites is 'Prayer for a Journey,' from the beginning of the book. I think it's so important, especially now, when everybody is feeling a sense a fear…to look at what you have in your life and have sense of gratitude-to see the miracles in your life." - Oprah
Thank You, God,
Not just for life,
But for our journey through life.
Life is a miracle,
And a journey through life
Is so full of so many more miracles
If we travel with our Heartsongs.
Thank You, God,
For blessing me with the
Gift of Heartsongs,
So that I can enjoy my miracles.
April 1998
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
Our eyes are for looking at things,
But they are also for crying
When we are very happy or very sad.
Our ears are for listening,
But so are our hearts.
Our noses are for smelling food,
But also the wind and the grass and
If we try very hard, butterflies.
Our hands are for feeling,
But also for hugging and touching so gently.
Our mouths and tongues are for tasting,
But also for saying words, like
"I love you," and
"Thank You, God. For all of these things."
April 1995
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
When I die, I want to be
A child in Heaven.
I want to be
A ten-year-old cherub.
I want to be
A hero in Heaven,
And a peacemaker,
Just like my goal on Earth.
I will ask God if I can
Help the people in Purgatory.
I will help them think,
About their life,
And their spirits,
About their future.
I will help them
Hear their Heartsongs again,
So they can finally
See the face of God,
So soon.
When I die,
I want to be,
Just like I want to be
Here on[?] Earth.
November 1999
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
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
When the moon sets
Over your shoulder
As the sun rises
Bright towards your face,
What's in the middle?
Your life is…
Filled with choices
For each moment, each place.
We live between the
Past and the future,
In the moment of our
Here, now, today.
Can we cope with the
Daily life stresses?
If we humbly accept…
We must pray.
December 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek