kind living – Andy Smallman

35 Years of Giving and Receiving

Published on December 31, 2025April 22, 2026 by Andy SmallmanLeave a comment

Thirty-five years ago, Melinda famously told me, “This is not a date!” Less than four months later, on December 31st 1990, 35 years ago TODAY, we were married, and we’ve spent every day since raising a family and building a life of shared purpose.

I’m marking this milestone by reflecting on the meaningful exchange of energy and value that I hope defines my life and work.

My work to help people connect with their inherent wisdom and contribute positively to their communities exists within the gift economy. Everything I offer online is shared freely, with no obligation to pay. Learn more:

Thank you for being part of this 35-year journey.

The Tao of Kindness – 81 Songs Now Available

Published on April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 by Andy SmallmanLeave a comment

A few years back, a quiet weekly reflection became something bigger than I expected. From 2018-2020, I translated each Tao Te Ching chapter into kindness-focused poems, sharing them on Facebook and on my Kind Living website as a personal anchor and maybe a little support for others who value kindness.

Last year, I discovered an AI music generator called Suno and started turning those poems into modern pop songs. I wrote the words and prompts. Suno made the music. The result? “The Tao of Kindness,” a five-volume music series inspired by all 81 Tao verses, seen through a lens of kindness.

I’m pleased to announce that the fifth and final volume of The Tao of Kindness is now completed! This wraps up the full cycle—81 kindness poems, 81 kindness songs. You can stream the songs for free and even download all 81 tracks for free on Bandcamp.

“The Tao of Kindness” has been a real passion project, exploring old wisdom in a fresh way. I hope it resonates with some of you. Here’s a sample song:

The Tao of Kindness

Published on August 7, 2021 by Andy SmallmanLeave a comment

Over 81 consecutive weeks, beginning in 2018 and ending in 2020, I adapted the 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching into kindness verses, one each week, as part of a personal meditation practice.

The idea of this project was to consider the ancient wisdom of the Tao through the lens of 21st-century kindness.

I shared my verses online as a way to center my practice and to offer them to others who might find them useful. You can find an archive of all 81 verses here.

As a sample, here’s my interpretation of verse 39:

THE BLOSSOM IS THE ROOT

Unity, harmony, wholeness,
synonyms for interconnectedness.
The finger is the hand.

Rooted in a pattern of humility,
nature takes its course.
The valley is the mountain.

Seeing oneness in all things,
kindness is a byproduct.
The blossom is the root.