These simple words are the mantra of a remarkable group of Venerable Buddhist Monks walking over 2,300 miles from Texas, to Washington, not as a protest, but as a living message of compassion, unity, and inner peace in a time of deep division. “Today is my peaceful day,” Bhikkhu Pannakara invites us to say as we begin each morning. For weeks, these monks, dressed in saffron robes and often bare-footed, accompanied by their rescue dog Aloka, have been greeting everyday people in towns and cities along their route, inviting them to pause, breathe, and remember that peace starts within each of us.
On my 65th birthday, I had the priviledge of hearing that message in person when my partner Chris and I flew from Boston to Charleston, South Carolina to find them. What an incredible couple of days.
It’s hard to describe just how powerful it is to be in their presence, yet it is gentle, calming, trusting, and yes, peaceful. I think people feel seen and loved; I know both Chris and I did.
Their message isn’t political; it’s human. Their journey encourages all of us to begin each morning choosing mindfulness, kindness, and healing in our own hearts and actions.
Sounds simple, eh? But it’s not. Not when the world around us is at odds with the message.
My heart breaks for all the injustices I see happening around me, happening to you, here and in countries around the world. In these moments, I find myself struggling, as I know many of us are, with how to reconcile the violence we see with the peace we long for. But perhaps that is the point of the Monks’ walk: to remind us that peace is not just an absence of conflict, but a decision we make to respond rather than react to emotional triggers! Peace is a choice we practice every single day in how we live, how we speak, how we walk or march, how we hold each other up, and how we hold ourselves accountable.
May we collectively strive for justice without hatred, seeking peace without naivety, and walking forward together, step by mindful step, toward a world that truly values life, dignity, and compassion for all.
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