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| Just Peace |
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Reflections
of a
Peacemaker |
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| Heartsongs |
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Journey
Through
Heartsongs |
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Hope
Through
Heartsongs |
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Celebrate
Through
Heartsongs |
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Loving
Through
Heartsongs
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Music
Through
Heartsongs |
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A list of favorites that are often asked about Mattie ...
| Favorite subjects: | History and Literature |
| Least favorite subjects: | Algebra II and Biology (and other things ending in 'ology') |
| Heroes: | Of course God, and my mom. Also, Jimmy Carter, Jerry Lewis, and Oprah. |
| Favorite color: | Sunset and Elf Green (runner-up: Black) |
| Favorite foods: | Vegetables, barbeque ribs, seafood |
| Favorite ice cream: | Chocolate, any version!!! |
| Least favorite foods: | Most fruits, especially strawberries |
| Favorite animal: | Tiger |
| Favorite fantasy creatures: | Phoenix, Dragon, and Smeagol/Golum |
| Favorite sports teams: | Maryland Terrapins, Baltimore Orioles, and the Washington Redskins (yes, in spite of their record) |
| Favorite places: | Home and MDA Summer Camp |
| Favorite places runner-up: | My imagination, Heaven, and Mandalay Bay hotel in Vegas |
| Favorite vacation spot: | Nags Head, NC (before the trach/vent) |
| Favorite trips: | Driving from Maryland to Los Angeles in our van for the MDA Telethon |
| Runner-up trip: | Flying in the air ambulance to the Oprah show in Chicago |
| Favorite neighborhood things: | Rolling to Starbucks, Maggie Moos, or the video store |
| Least favorite place: | The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the hospital |
| Favorite movies: | To Kill A Mockingbird (original black & white version) |
| Runner-up movies: | Lord of the Rings trilogy, Austin Powers trilogy, Pirates of the Carribean |
| Favorite actors: | Mike Meyers, Jim Carey, Sean Astin, Will Smith |
| Favorite poets: | Maya Angelou, Robert Blake, Robert Frost, Shel Silverstein, Dr. Suess |
| Favorite book: | To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee |
| Runner-up books: | Lord of the Rings books, Moby Dick, The Giver, Old Man and the Sea, The Westing Game, Harry Potter books, and many classics |
| Favorite cartoons: | The Simpsons, Yu-Gi-Oh, X-Men Evolution, Pokemon, SpongeBob, Brack Show, Ed-Edd-and-Eddy, Family Guy (I love cartoons!) |
| Favorite TV shows: | Everybody Loves Raymond, Price is Right, Full House, Saturday Night Live, Oprah |
| Favorite music: | Soundtracks, especially Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Carribean. I also listen to the Beatles, Gospel music, Weird Al, Smashmouth, and Creed. |
| Favorite songs: | If I Could (Friends of the Family), I Believe I Can Fly (from Space Jam), and Soak Up the Sun (Sheryl Crow). I also really like what Billy Gilman did with
I AM/Shades of Life on the CD I did with him. |
| Favorite video games: | Legend of Zelda, Lord of the Rings, The Simpsons |
| Favorite websites: | Ones that feature Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Legend of Zelda, and Legos |
| Favorite holiday: | Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp,
and "Thanksgiving if we are eating at Sandy's house!" |
| Favorite charity: | Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) |
| Favorite practical jokes: | My remote control fart machine and my rat in a box. |
| Favorite shows to be on: | Oprah, Larry King, Good Morning America (they're great people!) |
| Favorite 'wanna be' shows: | To have the Simpsons or Weird Al Yankovic parody me. |
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1990 -2004 |
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Heartsong
I have a song, deep in my heart,
And only I can hear it.
If I close my
eyes and sit very still
It is so easy to listen to my song.
When my eyes
are open and
I am so busy and moving and busy,
If I take time and listen
very hard,
I can still hear my Heartsong.
It makes me feel happy.
Happier than ever.
Happier than everywhere
And everything and
everyone
In the whole wide world
Happy like thinking about Going to
Heaven when I die.
My Heartsong sounds like this:
I
love you! I love you!
How happy you can be!
How happy you can make
The whole world be!
And
sometimes it's other
Tunes and words, too,
But it always sings the
Same special feeling to me.
It makes me think of
Jamie, and Katie
and Stevie,
And other wonderful things.
This is my special song.
But
do you know what?
All people have a special song
Inside their hearts!
Everyone in the show wide world
Has a special Heartsong.
If you
believe in magical, musical hearts,
And if you believe you can be happy,
Then you, too, will hear your song.
March 1996
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek
Used with permission from Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002
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