Kindland

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It was a few years ago that I met Stuart Muzinski. The guy has a passion for kindness. He has made it his life’s mission to teach the world to be kind.

After listening to him talk about that mission, and the birthing of what he came to call Kindland, I joined him in the effort and became a National Co-Chair for this vision to infuse the world with compassion.

Over the years, I have been invited into his sukkot to share to share a meal and deeper conversation. We have held award banquets where we honor those whose random acts of kindness made a difference in their community. He has taken his anti-bullying programs into schools and raised their graduation rates while lowering their incidences of violence and rates of suspension. Kindland is now recognized and supported by the NFL, has PSA spots that run on television stations throughout Northeast Ohio, and is working to become a national movement for kindness. Stuart and Kindland are doing their level best to track kindness, to teach businesses and schools to reward their populations for practicing kindness, and to instill this as a core value in every community in the country.

He is a walking billboard for the “do unto others” way of life.

There is something truly transformative about a random act of kindness to a stranger. It is an easy thing to do – and it can mean so much to someone without you ever knowing at all about what you did to change their outlook.

It’s the smile you give as you look someone in the eye as they pass you on the street.

It’s the wave at the intersection allowing the other driver to go on ahead before you.

It’s the offer to have the person in line behind you at the grocery store go before you because your cart is full and they only have a few items.

It’s paying for the car behind you at the drive-thru fast food restaurant.

It’s the time you saw an unhoused stranger sitting at the street corner and asked them their name and told them to have a good day before dropping a couple dollars in their cup.

It’s the greeter at the department store who smiles every time you walk in and asks you if there is anything they can help you find.

It’s the child quietly stops on their walk to the bus stop to pick up a piece of trash and throw it away.

It’s the high school basketball team that lets the teammate with a disability suit up and play.

It’s the crowd rising to their feet to cheer on the long-distance runner who finished alone two laps behind the pack and all alone in last place.

The beauty of kindness is it creates joy in the heart of both the giver and the receiver. It is also contagious – an act of kindness gladly received by one person encourages them to share that feeling with another.

What would happen if the world became more kind?

I’d like to find out.

As we approach lent, I think I will make it my practice every day during Lent to intentionally practice kindness. I will commit to a random act of kindness to a stranger every day during Lent.

I’d love it if you’d join me. Become a part of a movement to transform our communities into a sort of Kindland. And let there be peace on Earth on this, our journey Into the Mystic.

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