A lasting birthday gift of random acts of kindness

Although my birthday won’t arrive on the calendar for another two months, Bruce and Kathy Goddard have already given me a present.

The gift of an idea.

I thanked them and said I was going to tell my family and friends what they could give me.

The world is going to be a better place because of it.

Bruce and I have been kindred spirits for 28 years. We are brothers from different mothers. We both have three sons. When it comes to family and faith, we share the same values.

He had a significant birthday back in September when he turned 70. Kathy surprised him with tickets to an Atlanta Braves game at Truist Park. He thought it was going to be just the two of them but, when they got there, the Goddard clan filled the largest cheering section in the ballpark. It was bobblehead night. His family sang “Happy Birthday” to the old man.

A fun-loving guy, he loved every minute of it, of course. But, in the days and weeks that followed, he began to fret. 

Kathy’s 70th birthday was coming up on Jan. 27. How was he going to top that? The pressure was on.

 “I settled on an idea I knew would honor her the most,’’ he said.

In the 47 years the Goddards have been married, Bruce has lost count of the number of acts of kindness his wife has shown to others.

“She is the most selfless, kind and compassionate person I have ever known,’’ he said. “Quietly, and without fanfare, she puts others before herself.’’

Kathy has opened the doors to her home to strangers and given young people a place to land when they didn’t have a roof over their heads. She has held hands, hugged necks, kept vigil in hospital rooms, prepared meals and been a champion of touching hearts and lifting spirits.

“She is a prayer warrior,’’ Bruce said. “If you are on her long prayer list, there’s a good chance God moved in your life at just the right time because of her fervent prayer.’’

Kathy had a front-row seat to two of the kindest people in her life — her parents, Ralph and Irene Underwood of Taylor County.

“Daddy would pay the light bill for somebody he didn’t know,’’ Kathy said. “They were always cooking and taking food to people.’’

After her father died, her mother continued her generosity. And when Kathy married Bruce, she watched as his mother, Naia Goddard, was always there for others. 

“I saw that it was in me to do that, too,’’ Kathy said. “It was always just a part of me.’’

In early December, Bruce began contacting family and friends. Never mind about Christmas. He was already doing early birthday shopping for his wife.

“Kathy and I have been married for over 47 years,’’ he wrote. “I cannot begin to name or count the small acts of kindness she has done for others.

“To honor and surprise her on this special birthday, I am asking her family and friends (from different phases of her life) to perform at least 70 random acts of kindness. One per person, but more than one is fine. Please document your act of kindness as to what you did and a photo, if applicable. Photos will make her smile. Also, please add a personal note for her birthday.’’

He emphasized that no act of kindness was too small or insignificant. He included a list of suggestions such as writing letters of gratitude and encouragement, running errands, delivering meals to those in need, visiting an elderly relative or friend, sending surprise care packages, paying compliments to a stranger and leaving large tips for a waiter or waitress.

Bruce’s kindness list also suggested inviting someone to church, donating clothes or household items, buying groceries for someone in need, sending flowers or a small gift anonymously and holding the door open for someone.

“I didn’t want people to feel like they had to spend a lot of money,’’ he said. “Just do a simple act of kindness.’’

It wasn’t long before the testimonials came in from places as nearby as Macon, Warner Robins, Perry, Atlanta and Butler and as far away as New Jersey, Memphis, Cincinnati, Houston, Nashville, Alabama, New Hampshire and Mississippi.

The acts performed in Kathy’s honor covered a wide range of kindness from paying for someone’s gas or groceries to making donations to charitable organizations and hospitals. Folks visited food pantries, clothes closets, soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

Another group took flowers and food to a retired teacher with cancer. One family invited a widow to lunch after church. Folks made sandwiches, baked cupcakes, picked up doughnuts, rounded up Chick-fil-A combos and gave away Pizza Hut gift cards. 

They played Santa Claus to needy children during the holidays. They purchased Gideon bibles, picked up restaurant tabs and came to the rescue with jumper cables when someone’s car wouldn’t start.

I participated by taking a homeless man to a men’s breakfast I attend in Lizella on the first Saturday of every month. A man at the breakfast, who didn’t even know Kathy, was so inspired when I told him about the birthday project he bought lunch at the Waffle House in Forsyth for a young family with triplets he did know.

Bruce had a goal of 70 acts of kindness – one for each of his wife’s years here on earth. He ended up with more than 120. Some were intentional. Others were spontaneous. Still, others used it as a way to “pay it forward.’’ Others sought out society’s “invisible people” who never get noticed or recognized for their service and contributions. It was especially gratifying to see the lessons children learned from the experience of helping others.

“What a good thing to have people do … especially in such a divided world,’’ Bruce said. “Can you imagine what it would be like if we did this all the time?”

My birthday is April 9. It is not one of those milestone, significant birthdays.

My wish list is simple. Go. Do. Be kind.

If you want to get in some practice before my birthday, Random Acts of Kindness Week is Feb. 14-20. 

Ed Grisamore was the 2010 recipient of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, presented by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. You can let him know about your act of kindness at gris@maconmelody.com.