Messenger

Jenna's Book Club

 I've had the Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs by his mother, Jeni, on my Kindle for a few years now. I was truly moved by it reading it the first time a few years ago, and even more so re-reading it just now. I'm honestly sorry I didn't review it sooner.

What can I say about Mattie Stepanek? Mattie was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy that had already claimed the lives of his two older siblings by the time he was born-and claimed the life of his slightly older brother when he himself was a baby. His mother Jeni, author of this book, was told that none of her children would live past early childhood. Mattie, however, defied all odds to live to "almost fourteen" and in his short time here on this Earth, managed to touch the lives of billions, including Jimmy Carter, Oprah Winfrey, and Maya Angelou. 

A strict Catholic, however accepting and acknowledging of all faiths and belief systems, Mattie was "talking to God" as a very small child-and indeed began penning his own poems at three, to help cope with his grief over the loss of his siblings-including the two that he had never met. When Mattie was approximately five years old, his priest looked his mother in the eye and said seriously, "He's a messenger." 

Even with the shadow of his own mortality looming over him, he continued to spread his message of hope. He was in and out of intensive care, and during his time there managed to charm the doctors. He was a huge fan of Shrek and farts. And he managed to fulfill his bucket list before his passing in 2004-talk to Jimmy Carter about world peace, and meet his other two idols, Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou. In fact, he and those three celebrities ended up forming extremely close relationships. Oprah called him "my guy," started a prayer chain for him, and he appeared on her show, as well as Larry King Live. Mattie was also a champion advocate for muscular dystrophy and traveled the country-tracheal tube, machines, wheelchair, and all-to speak. By the time of his death, Mattie had had several books of poetry published. Thousands attended his funeral, including Oprah and President Carter. 

I will say that everyone must read this book. I have had my own struggles, including crippling paranoia, depression, and self-harm-however hearing Mattie's story made me want to be a better person-and it's also helped me myself become closer to the Goddess and the Tuatha De Danann.  

It's been said in my own circles that people like Mattie are, indeed here as "messengers" of the gods/God/Goddess/Source/whatever you want to call it. And I strongly believe it. As I said, Mattie had a message of peace and hope for the world, and years after his passing, he still continues to touch people. As a matter of fact, he's being considered as a candidate for sainthood. I still have some Catholic leanings and would likely venerate him right up there with my beloved Saint Joan of Arc. As was she, he was a warrior in his own right. 

Speaking of warriors, I must give credit to Jeni, his mother and author of this book. Although I never want children of my own, I can still understand her heartache to lose all of her children in childhood. Not only that, she herself was diagnosed with the same disease as her children, and it progressed rapidly along with Mattie's illness. She was confined to a wheelchair along with Mattie-but it didn't stop her. Ill and in a wheelchair and all, she still supported Mattie and traveled the country with him on all his speaking engagements. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer on top of it all. And it's still not stopping her. She still spreads the message of Mattie to all who care to listen. Jeni, if you by any chance are reading this, I have you up there with my ancestor Queen Maeve of Connaught as a warrior queen. 

And last, but definitely not least, I must mention Mattie's confidant-Oprah Winfrey. I need to get it out that I love to make fun of Oprah-because there was a South Park episode where she tried to kill Towelie, one of my favorite characters. I've jokingly said "if she becomes President, I'm moving in with my family that still lives in Ireland!" However, all joking aside, in the past few years I've become a huge fan of Oprah-and not just because of her compassion to people like Mattie. She should be a huge inspiration to many-and she's a big advocate for "The Law of Attraction" claiming that it got her to where she is today. And yes, I would as a matter of fact consider voting for her if she does indeed run for office.

Here is an example of Mattie's poetry:

On Being a Champion

A Champion is a winner,
A hero...
Someone who never gives up
Even when the going gets rough.
A champion is a member of
A winning team...
Someone who overcomes challenges
Even when it requires creative solutions.
A champion is an optimist,
A hopeful spirit...
Someone who plays the game,
Even when the game is called life.
There can be a champion in each of us,
If we live as a winner,
If we live as a member of the team,
If we live with a hopeful spirit,
For Life.

-Mattie Stepanek