Post 9/11 Healing between Two Mothers Who Found Forgiveness, Friendship and Peace
For Our World, a poem written on 9/11 by Mattie Stepanek age 11
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 1990 -2004
from Hope Through Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002
Mattie Stepanek was 11 years old when he wrote this poem on the day of 9-11.
Sadly he passed away in 2004 after a long battle with Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy.
You can learn more about his brief, amazing, inspiring life at his website:
The short film you are about to see is an amazing testimony of forgiveness and a friendship forged between two women whose relationship might normally be one of great enmity. Their story is a miracle of peace and the product of two mothering hearts. Please Watch!
That video moved me to tears -- of both hope and deep sadness. Thank you for sharing it on this day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings Elizabeth. Happy Mother's Day. I am glad that you saw it.
ReplyDeletexo,
Noelle
Wow, and double wow, Noelle. First for Mattie Stepanek's poem (what a tragedy but how much he left us) and then for this TED talk. I download TED on my iPad for when I travel. Ever since Bin Laden's death there is so justification for revenge, but these two women help me to think differently. Thanks for sharing this--and for letting me know you had posted it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Fran. Please feel free to share it on facebook or wherever. I
ReplyDeletethink that people need to see the film.
xo,
Noelle
The poem is so touching and so true...the wisdom of youth can be mind blowing at times!
ReplyDeleteI also watched the video and wept. It's so easy to be afraid or hateful of others, yet we don't know their stories or their pain. Wonderful post.
I am so glad that it resonated with you Dawn. You have such a compassionate
ReplyDeleteheart! I agree, that fear paralyzes and forgiveness releases us from that
prison often born of our own pain.
xoxo,
Noelle