Dr. Grady Morris – Man of Kindness

February 18

I have been doing a blog post for the past few days on kindness. Kindness is something that we don’t see very much let alone talk about but I wanted in this blog to SHOW you kindness. Kindness is a word we hardly even use. I think it is a forgotten trait in most people. But I need to show you and I think showing you it’s the best way to describe it for me. 

We all know people. We know a lot of people. But how well do you really know someone. To know this person and many people know him and their own unique stories I am sure. 

But as I say, everyone has a story and this man fits into my story in a huge way. I need to tell you about someone very, very, very, special to me. Someone that when you see one you see two people, but they are really one and the same. You hardly ever see one without the other. That is because they are truly the example of one flesh. 

I need to tell you how kind Dr. Grady Morris has been to me and my family and how kind he is to me. (his wife Doris also but that is a much longer post for another time)

Why am I posting this about him today? Because as I type this he is in Emory Hospital in Atlanta, GA having open heart surgery and I hurt for him. I feel lost today because of this. I can’t explain what I feel so I write instead.

I can barely type this blog without sobbing. But I need to because I want to give flowers before a person is gone. I know that he will be okay and come out feeling better than ever after his heart attack last week. 

Grady and Doris have been Jesus with skin on for me.  Doris and I are like mother and daughter and our story is as deep as it is wide. But that awesome story is not for today even though she is a part of this story too.

Grady has shown me so much love and kindness just as Jesus would have. No matter the time of day or what he has going he would make time for me and help me, come to my rescue. He has never EVER not been kind to me.

When I was going through a horrible, horrible time of divorce, depression, suicide thoughts, anger, loneliness, rejection, fear, betrayal, financial lows, and everyday life problems, HE WAS THERE and he was there every single time.

When I say there, Grady was there with God and with the word of God. With words that always made sense and always a story for me. He was always patient. Never a time he was not patient with my pain. That is who he really is. He has been a dad for me better than my real dad who we have no relationship for the past 32 years. 

I needed a father and he was that and is that for me today. He was always gentle with his words to me. He was always kind. I felt safe to go to him and talk to him. He watched my years of pain and he was there. He was kind.

He never was rushed or in a hurry. He always made time for me. I never felt small in his presence. He made me feel I could make it. The pain would go away and I could raise my sons and be okay.  He was kind. 

Grady has just always been here. How many people can say that you have always have someone that can come to your rescue. Well, I can because he (they) did. He was there in the middle of the night.  It would be nothing for him to be in the middle of something and when he was done he would come and help me. Just like dads do. He is kind.

He was giving of his time and talents. He fixed  so many things at my house over the last 17 years. The toilet, the door, the locks, the sink, the lawnmower he fixed. He has given me two cars fully paid for and fixed them every single time they needed a repair. And that has been many times. He has whipped out his American Express card and bought me untold dinners, computer for son,  an entire Christmas, wardrobe for myself, and even paid for private school for my son.

I have my doctorate in theology because he paid for my entire schooling books and all.  

He has bought a freezer for me, fixed my washer and dryer, paid for my a/c in my house to be fixed, garage door to be fixed and untold countless prayer sessions and theophostic sessions to help me heal.

He watched my pain and he watched and saw my transformation to an ordained minister and counsellor to women and author. 

He is kind. 

A lot of people love him and know him around town. He is kind. He has always shown the love of Jesus to me and others. He taught me so much about ministry and ministering to people. I have never seen him NOT come to the aid of someone else. 

He has been my friend and my dad. He showed me what a dad is supposed to be. He has helped my sons in countless ways from how to be a man, fix their cars, change the brakes and more. For all this and more I say THANK YOU a million times over. 

Today I celebrate him for being so brave as he faces surgery. I pray that he will come home to Doris and his children very soon and we can celebrate his birthday which will be February 26 and he will be 80 years old. I pray that he will be stronger than ever. 

Grady, I love you and thank you for being a father to me when I needed one. I thank you for being kind. It is such an honor to know you. See you soon.