Be a Friend NOW!!

I'll not post everything I found stuffed in that book, but I have to introduce you to a little guy named Mattie J.T. Stepanek and his writings. In case you've never heard of him, he's a poet....let me rephrase that. He was a poet. Mattie was born in 1990 and I was introduced to his work around 2000 when I began working in adolescent oncology. Our floor kept a book in the nurses' station - written by him called "Heartsongs." All the kids there on the floor who could read knew who he was and loved to read his poetry. If they were having hard times sleeping at night, they would pop their little heads around the corner and ask for a "Mattie book." He had several volumes that were a collection of his poems... Mattie was born with a severe form of muscular dystrophy that eventually confined him to not only a wheelchair, but also a mobile ventilator. Yet, he never quit writing- even when 2 of his siblings died before him with the same problems he had. At the age of 11, he was homeschooled and had reached the 11th grade. He was way smarter than the normal kid his age.

Mattie died in 2004. I remember his death actually made the news. I guess I remember it, because I knew who he was. One of the poems I found tucked away that he wrote around the age of 6-8 (can't remember exactly) was called "Rebecca's Reminder." This was written when his friend Rebecca died. Now, remember, we're talking 7 year olds here......Here's how it goes......this is also how it's published.....

It is sad when a friend Dies.
Death becomes
Suddenly Painful.
Suddenly Real.
Suddenly Reminding.
When a friend Dies.
Perhaps we should
Suddenly Remember
How real Death is,
And wonder
How our LIFE
Will be,
Suddenly,
Based on
How much of a friend we are
NOW,
Regularly.