A Song and a Moment of Kindness Come Full Circle

Sometimes, a single act of kindness stops you in your tracks and stays with you forever.

It was nearly twenty years ago that we experienced one of those moments, and it came from a country singer I had been a fan of for years. I had no idea at the time that what he did that night would come full circle in such a meaningful way.

It was December of 2005, and our twin daughters, Grace and Ashton, were five years old. At the time, I was serving as the Director of the Civic Center of Anderson, where John Berry was performing a special concert. The show was divided into two parts, the first half featuring his country hits and the second half devoted to his Christmas music.

Before the concert began, I spoke with John’s wife, Robin, who was part of the band. I asked if he would be performing “How Much Do You Love Me,” a song that held special meaning in our home. I told her how I often danced with our girls to that song in our living room, how their little faces would light up with joy, their giggles filling the room as we spun and twirled together. She seemed genuinely touched by the story and smiled warmly, but said the song wasn’t part of the set list that night. I thanked her anyway and didn’t think much more about it as the concert began.

Just after John announced intermission and was getting up from his stool in the center of the stage, Robin leaned into her microphone to stop him. She shared our story and how much that song meant to our family, and asked if he might sing it for our daughters. It stopped me in my tracks. My wife, Dawn, and our daughters were seated on the front row, while I was near the back of the arena with members of my staff. 

To our surprise, John looked over, smiled, and said he didn’t think the band that night knew the song, but he would play it anyway. He picked up his acoustic guitar, performed it solo, and dedicated it to our daughters.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the building.

It was one of the most touching acts of kindness I have ever experienced. And next month, when Grace and I share our father-daughter dance to that same song at her wedding in Charleston, we’ll be remembering that night and the man who turned a simple request into a lifelong memory. Ashton will get her turn in March, but since Grace is getting married first, she gets the John Berry song.

As we think about Grace and her fiancé, Graham, preparing for their big day, it’s hard not to reflect on how quickly the years have passed since that December evening. The little girls who once stood on my feet as we danced in the living room are now stepping into new chapters of their own.

And when that familiar melody begins to play, I know we’ll both be feeling the same mix of pride, love, and gratitude we felt all those years ago, when a simple act of kindness became a memory that would last a lifetime.