In a world that often feels rushed, divided, and relentlessly loud, there is something quietly revolutionary about the act of walking.
Recently, a group of Buddhist monks began a long, demanding pilgrimage across the United States. Their mission is simple yet profound: to promote peace. Their journey began in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26. Since then, they have faced the literal “wear and tear” of the road, including a harrowing incident where two monks were injured after a truck struck their escort vehicle.
Yet, they did not stop.
With perseverance and a calm, unshakable resolve, the group of two dozen monks has reached Georgia. They are still moving, one step at a time, toward their final destination in Washington, D.C. Their pace is slow, deliberate, and intentional—and that may be exactly what our world needs right now.
Buddhism has a long history of “engaged mindfulness”—the idea that compassion isn’t just felt in meditation, but lived in the world. These monks are not just praying for peace; they are embodying it.
As they navigate highways and back roads, they offer a living reminder that peace isn’t a destination we reach once and for all. It is a practice. It is something we choose moment by moment, breath by breath, step by step.
Watching their progress brings me back to a book I read nearly 30 years ago: Peace Pilgrim.
I remember being deeply moved by her story—how she walked across countries carrying almost nothing, guided by the conviction that peace begins within the individual. At the time, I wished I could have met her in person, just to thank her for the way her simplicity and courage planted a seed in my heart.
Though she is gone, her spirit feels remarkably present today. I see her legacy in the orange robes of these monks as they crest the hills of the American South.
Igniting Kindness, One Heart at a Time
There is something profoundly moving about a walking pilgrimage in the age of instant communication. There are no hashtags here. No viral outrage. Just human beings placing one foot in front of the other, trusting that their presence alone can soften the world.
And it works.
Along the way, the “ordinary” world reacts. Drivers slow down. Strangers stop to ask questions. People offer water, a meal, or a simple smile. In these small, unscripted exchanges, something gentle is awakened. We are reminded that beneath our political and social differences, we all share a basic human longing for safety, understanding, and harmony.
The monks may be the ones doing the walking, but the kindness they ignite along the way belongs to all of us. As they recently shared on their Facebook page:
“We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows.”
Most of us cannot drop everything to walk across a continent. But all of us can “walk for peace” in the geography of our own lives.
- We can pause before we react in anger.
- We can choose compassion over the reflex of judgment.
- We can listen more deeply than we speak.
Watching these monks continue their journey despite injury and uncertainty reminds me that peace isn’t achieved through grand, sweeping gestures. It is built patiently through humility and love.
Step by step.
May their walk remind us to slow down, to soften our hearts, and to keep moving—together—toward a more peaceful world.
Photos from https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/buddhist-monks-peace-walk-thousands-follow-on-social-media/3962302/ and https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/12/23/buddhist-monk-walk-for-peace-passes-through-montgomery/87897028007/
Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2026/01/01/walking-for-peace-step-by-step/
Peace LiLy 