Sunday, June 5, 2011

Circle of Happiness


(Mattie Stepanek, 1990-2004, and his mother Jeni)

Love begets love.

The young poet Mattie Stepanek understood that.

Mattie had a rare form of muscular dystrophy, which had killed his two brothers and his sister. He began to write when he was only three years old, going on to publish six volumes of poems and one of prose to great acclaim. In those books, he put into words a remarkably cheerful and joyous view of life. He celebrated the power of love. And he faced his imminent death with startling honesty and frankness.

CIRCLE OF HAPPINESS

I am a little kid
For you to love.
I am a little kid
For you to hug and kiss.
I am a little kid
For you to say,
“You are so special,
Yes you are” to.
I am a little kid
For all of those things
And more.
And when you
Feel and say and do
All of those things,
I will be a little kid
Who will hug and kiss you.
I will be a little kid
Who will say to you,
“You are so special, too,
Yes you are.”
I will be a little kid
Who will do all of those things
And more.
And that is what
Happiness
Is all about.

~ Mattie J. T. Stepanek, from his book Heartsongs
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