PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Are you too young or too old, too incapacitated or too disadvantaged to make a difference?



Let me tell you about Mattie Stepanek, who will be fourteen this year. Mattie has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Three of his siblings have died of the disease. His mother is also afflicted. Mattie breathes through a tube in his neck and needs a wheelchair to

get around.



Mattie was asked a few years ago what he might wish for. He named

three things. He said he wanted to meet Oprah Winfrey, he wanted to

meet President Jimmy Carter, and he wanted to publish a book of his

poetry. (Mattie had been writing poetry since he was three.)



His wishes were all granted. He not only met Oprah, but also has

appeared on her show. He visited with President Jimmy Carter and

spoke with him about one of Mattie's favorite topics - world peace.  After talking to Carter, Mattie said that he thought he was on the right track. He also had a book of his poetry published in 2000, when he was only eleven! By January of 2001, it had soared to the top of the New York Times best-seller list!



"Prayer for a Journey" was written when Mattie was just eight.



    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



From "Journey Through Heartsongs" (Hyperion Books, 2001)

http://www.mattieonline.com/.