February 16, 2018 – After no one responded to one little boy’s birthday invitations, a local mom took to Facebook for suggestions on how to make his day special.
“He’s disappointed and I’m trying to plan an awesome day with him to make him feel a little better,” the mom, who prefers to keep both she and her son anonymous, wrote. “We couldn’t find even one kid to go with us, so it has to be something he can have fun with doing with me.”
She explained that her son has a few friends at school, but he never sees them outside of that environment.
“My son can be intense, and I think that is a little daunting to other students and their parents, but he’s also very sweet and funny and inquisitive,” the mom explained. “He was disappointed that none of his friends were going to be with us this weekend, so I wanted to offer him a list of things to choose from to do with me today.”
Plenty of people quickly chimed in with suggestions. Other moms commiserated, as well, on how tough it can be for children, while others lamented the lack of manners when people don’t respond to RSVPs. Other moms began reaching out and offering to meet for playdates.
And one Excelsior Springs mom decided a suggestion wasn’t good enough. Instead, she reached out to the mom, whose heart was hurting for her child, and offered to throw him a party at Tiger Bowl. She paid for the lanes and began inviting children.
“I am just responding out of love, as Jesus would,” she said.
Local businesses began to show their support for the child, too.
“Bring him by Silver Linings Resale 115 Crown hill Rd in Excelsior. We will have a gift for him,” Ray Yates commented.
“Great idea, Silver Linings, we will do the same,” Deanna Weers of Deanna’s Gold N’ Treasures responded.
On Saturday, a group of well-wishers and party-goers convened at Tiger Bowl and celebrated a little boy’s eighth birthday. They took up two lanes to bowl, and enjoyed cupcakes, cookies and drinks.
The resident who stepped up and put on a party for a child she’s never met, to help a mom she didn’t know, preferred to remain anonymous, as well.
“I desire to live my life by being an expression of love,” she said. “God’s love for me and loving others as myself. While I am not perfect, it is my heart’s desire. I prefer to remain anonymous. It is good to ‘not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.’” She would like to encourage others to act the same way.
“I’m very moved by the compassion that’s been shown for my son,” the boy’s mom said. “The responses I’ve gotten from other parents make me think that we all need to try harder to help kids make meaningful connections and give them more opportunities to develop social skills outside the classroom.”