“What the Monks Taught Us About Practicing Peace”
How nineteen monks, a rescue dog, and 2,300 miles changed the way we understand peace.
Peace did not arrive loudly.
It did not interrupt.
It did not demand attention.
It walked.
In October 2025, nineteen Buddhist monks left Fort Worth, Texas, and began walking across America. Their destination was Washington, D.C. Their mission was peace—not as an idea, but as a daily practice.
They walked over 2,300 miles.
Through heat.
Through rain.
Through ice.
Through exhaustion.
And beside them walked a small rescue dog named Aloka.
He became known as the Peace Dog.
He never left their side.
Caption: “Peace is not something we wish for. It is something we practice. Step by step.”
When They Crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, They Walked Across History
One of their most sacred stops was Selma, Alabama.
They crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
The same bridge where, in 1965, civil rights marchers were beaten for demanding the right to vote.
The same bridge where courage faced brutality.
The same bridge where history changed direction.
The monks crossed it in silence.
Not to protest.
But to honor.
Not to demand.
But to heal.
And somehow, their quiet presence echoed just as loudly.
Richmond Stood Still
When they arrived in my home state of Virginia, thousands gathered. My sister was there. Said she stood in awe. No words. No photos. Just her salty tears on a cold cheek.
She stood among strangers who were no longer strangers.
Because peace has a way of making people feel connected.
People didn’t come to be entertained.
They came to witness.
One Richmond attendee wrote:
“I don’t know why I cried, but I did. Watching them walk made me realize how fast and distracted my life has become.”
Another said:
“They weren’t asking anything from us. They were offering something to us.”
Another simply wrote:
“I will never forget the feeling.
They Did Not Stop When It Was Hard
They walked in freezing temperatures.
They walked in wind.
They walked in rain.
One monk walked barefoot for much of the journey.
Barefoot.
While others wore simple tennis shoes.
They walked anyway.
They never stopped.
Even after one monk lost part of his leg in an accident, he returned and we felt his presence.
Because peace was not conditional.
Peace was their discipline.
When They Reached Washington, They Honored Black History
In Washington, D.C., the monks visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
A place that holds the truth of suffering, resilience, survival, and triumph.
A place the current administration wants to dismantle – pieces to Archives.
It was not just a visit.
It was recognition.
A recognition that peace and perseverance are deeply connected.
That those who endured the most often carry the deepest wisdom.
They also gathered at the Lincoln Memorial.
Not to celebrate themselves.
But to complete the journey and the practice.
My Reflection: I Couldn’t Stop Watching Them
I started watching them when they arrived in Alabama.
And I couldn’t take my eyes off of them.
Every single state. Every single stop.
Each night, I thought about them.
I thought about what they were doing out there in the inclement weather — doing for us!
I thought about how they persevered.
They never stopped.
I thought about their feet.
I wondered what kind of tennis shoes they were wearing.
I wondered if they were cold.
If they had enough layers.
If they were tired.
I noticed that one monk walked barefoot while the others wore shoes.
And I wondered what kind of strength that required—not just physically, but spiritually.
And then I listened to them speak.
I listened to their voices.
They were calm.
Peaceful.
Certain.
They were not performing peace.
They were living it.
And something inside me recognized that.
I realized I wanted that peace too.
Not as an idea.
But as a practice.
Not something distant.
Something lived.
Something embodied.
And more than anything, I wanted to say thank you.
Thank you for walking.
Thank you for persevering.
Thank you for bringing your practice into the world.
Thank you for bringing our attention back to what matters.
Thank you for reminding us what is possible.
What They Left Behind
They did not leave monuments.
They left reminders.
That peace is available.
That peace is practice.
That peace is discipline.
That peace is not something we find.
It is something we walk.
And Now, We Walk Too
Not across America.
But through our lives.
More aware.
More present.
More peaceful.
Because peace was never far away.
It was always one step away.
[/gspeech]
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References
Associated Press — Coverage of Walk for Peace arrival in Washington, D.C.
Reuters — Buddhist monks complete 2,300-mile peace walk
The Guardian — Monks bring message of peace across America
PBS NewsHour — Buddhist monks conclude cross-country peace walk
National Museum of African American History and Culture — visitor records and public coverage
Walk for Peace official social media channels (Instagram, Facebook)
Coverage of Selma crossing, Edmund Pettus Bridge historical documentation
Public Richmond, Virginia eyewitness social media posts and commentary
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