If a person cannot hear their own Heartsong

because life has been too loud or dark or difficult for their spirit,

then we should offer to let them borrow our Heartsong

until their own is reawakened.

— Mattie Stepanek

This is dig out, clean out, and eat up week. It’s reorganize, rethink, and regroup week. It’s re-tune, rework, and re-prioritize week. It’s a time to look ahead and wish some things for ourselves.

It’s one of my favorite wisps of time and this year it’s enriched by Jeni Stepanek’s new book titled “Messenger,” which offers new insights into the legacy left by her remarkable son. It’s been five years since Mattie Stepanek passed away at the age of 13 to Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy. But during his short lifetime, Mattie became a bestselling author after discovering ways to transform his hardships into messages of hope and peace for people worldwide. He said he was able to do all this by merging his language with the words God gave him, experienced in his heart.

Mattie’s words work especially well this time of year, when we’re looking to 2010 and the start of another decade for greater happiness, slimmer bodies, strengthened relationships, and improving finances. It’s my guess he’d assure us that we will experience such things only when we’re able to identify our own “heartsongs,” those talents naturally expressed by our hearts that are pure and loving and can be gifted to others. Such endeavors add depth and dignity to things with which God has gifted each one of us. Identifying our own heartsongs gives us permission and passion for sharing our gifts. In fact, Mattie explains it like this:

Some people have talents in sports or humor or academics.

Other people have talents in service or patience or nurturing.

Still others have the gift of using words to shape a message….

That is how I share my heartsongs — through words.

Jeni Stepanek explains further that living on the verge of his own mortality left Mattie always in the vicinity of his “thin” space, that place where his spirituality and physical life intertwined. He understood his time would be short and he developed a keen awareness of God as well as a passion for leaving behind messages intended to benefit those who would live beyond his own passing.

We don’t have to live in “thin” space for this kind of understanding or use the same language. Go ahead and consider your talents. Gifts. Passions. Dreams. Ask God to help you develop and grow them. Write them down in a journal. Make plans. Send email or make phone calls. Go online. Connect with others with similar passions. Join the choir. Visit the next quilting guild meeting. Begin training for a half marathon. Ask a friend for help and encouragement. I feel certain Mattie would assure you that giving life to your heartsong will deepen your experiences and gift you with immense joy. Better still, your gift has the capacity to better the life of someone else.

Join me in a project far greater than making yet another New Year’s resolution. Let’s identify one heartsong for 2010 and ask God for the courage and imagination and desire to see it begin to take form. May the adventure begin!