“How many birdhouses have you seen at one time?” he asked. “Maybe four?” I replied to the recognizable voice on my phone. “How would you like to see 58?” he asked with a contagious smile in his voice.

The caller was a friend who lived nearby. His passion is building birdhouses from wood scraps and old farm tools. That’s merely the beginning of the story. You can’t find his birdhouses in stores or farmer’s markets or online. He doesn’t sell them; he only gives them away. And only to people he observed doing something kind to others. Long before Sequim’s “Be Kind” campaign was launched in 2021, the birdhouse man was quietly spreading his own kindness mission.

He gave one birdhouse to a person who was voluntarily picking up litter along the highway. Another went to a grocery employee for being extra kind to a customer who did not have enough money to pay for their purchase. He gave one to a stranger standing in line at the grocery store for giving their space to someone else. He gifted others to a stranger in a parking lot, a Home Depot worker, a doctor, and an office secretary, all who did their jobs well but also did them with kindness.

One day the birdhouse man wanted to give a birdhouse to a local radio personality. He was always mindful that a stranger offering something for nothing may be suspected of ulterior motives in today’s world. His wife often was around when he gave away birdhouses but this time I tagged along. He explained to the intended recipient that he wanted to gift her a birdhouse because she was kind to many people especially at the VFW. She asked what kind of birds use the house, and he quipped that all birds with feathers could use the house. We had a big laugh over that, and for once, no one got teary-eyed.

To construct the birdhouses, he secures wood scraps from residential construction sites. He obtains other scarps from friends with renovation projects. He always ensures that the perch below the openings into the house is just the right size for a songbirds’ feet. A long wire is attached to many of the birdhouse as a tool to clean the box. Another design allows the floor of the birdhouse to be removed for cleaning. When completed, the house is attached to a handle of farming tool like a spade or a potato fork. These typically are sourced from local yard sales. Occasionally, he must attach rebars for additional stability. The birdhouses are finished off with linseed oil for protection from the elements.

It may take one to two weeks to make each birdhouse but the act of giving one away is the shortest and sweetest three minutes of the entire process. He typically does not want to reveal his name or even know the names of the people to whom he is giving birdhouses. He always tells the recipient the reason he is giving them a birdhouse is for a specific act of kindness he observed. He does not want any type of payment for the birdhouses but hopes that his gesture of kindness will be passed along.

He doesn’t go on Nextdoor or Facebook or tweet about his kindness mission. He does not Instagram the moment. There is no photographic proof of the encounter, only his remembrance of the momentary human connection.

The birdhouse man was especially pleased when he heard what happen after he gave a couple of birdhouses to a cook at a nonprofit organization. The cook in turn gave one of the birdhouses to an elderly lady in an assisted living home who found joy in watching the birds from her bedroom window. The birdhouse man was so happy he could not wait to go home and make another birdhouse.

One report indicates that perpetually kind people have 23% less cortisol, the stress hormone. Various other studies show that engaging in acts of kindness produces naturally occurring chemicals in the body that contribute to improved mood and overall well being.

The birdhouse man is over 80 years old, walks 4 miles three times a week, kayaks, weather permitting, and remains a cheerful presence. He does not remember how many birdhouses he has made or given away, but he has a deep well of fond memories and has been rewarded with a steady dose of the natural feel-good chemicals that improved his well being.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation says, “Kindness is igniting a light in someone else for no reason other than to watch them enjoy the glow.” That seems to be the birdhouse man’s philosophy. Their glow is his glow—and in that glow, he finds his quiet joy in an increasingly complicated world.

___________

Ruby E. Carlino is a published writer with over a decade of blogging experience and a background as a technology analyst. She has lived in Sequim since 2018, after spending years in Asia, Central America, Europe, and the Washington, D.C. area during her husband’s diplomatic assignments. She can be reached at nextchaptercolumn@proton.me.