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Dec 24, 2009

"When the trees sing,
It doesn't really matter
If you know the song,
Or if you know the words,
Or even if you know the tune.
What really matters is knowing
That the trees are singing at all." --Mattie Stepanek

A Child Poet's Inspiration Lives On

It's standing room only at the Borders bookstore in Bethesda, where Jeni Stepanek is talking about her new book, "Messenger." The book is about her son Mattie, the inspirational poet who died five years ago at 13 after battling a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Because of the same disease, Jeni Stepanek now uses a wheelchair. In his short life, Mattie wrote six books of poetry and a collection of essays that he collaborated on with Jimmy Carter. The Rockville youth made it to the New York Times bestseller list. He became a friend to the rich and famous. He touched millions of people around the world with his message of hope and peace.