For our world

Recently my good friend Hugh Wilfong recommended this wonderful poem to me. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.

“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.
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 and 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.”

~ Mattie Stepanek

Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a well-respected poet and peace activist, lived a life that was brief in length but powerfully blessed with depth. Born on July 17, 1990, Mattie began creating and sharing Heartsongs at the young age of 3. He explained that Heartsongs are “gifts that reflect each person’s unique reason for being.”

Mattie ultimately published six collections of his Heartsongs poetry books and one collection of Just Peace essays and e-mail correspondence between Mattie and Former President Jimmy Carter. All seven of Mattie’s books became New York Times Bestsellers and touched millions of lives around the world.

He died on June 22, 2004 due to complications of Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy.