Peace On Earth

 As I’ve aged, I’ve found that I’m getting more and more “Scroogey” about Christmas.  It’s too much. Too much expense, too much to do, too much worry about getting the perfect gift, the perfect meal.  For some reason, this year has been worse than usual.  But I have found a bright spot.  Something that gives me hope that things might be better.  And it came from, of all places, a group of Buddhist monks.  

A group of Buddhist monks are Walking For Peace.  Walking from Ft. Worth, TX, to Washington, DC.  They are stopping along the way, meeting people and spreading a message of peace.  They came through here last week.  I saw them on the road and have become fascinated with them and their journey. 

They are taking a route through the Deep South, places where I thought they would encounter bigotry or racism. That’s not the case at all. Everywhere they go, crowds of people are there to greet them, provide them with food and shelter, and spreading peace and love.  Through areas of  Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama where tolerance and compassion are not usually present, they have been welcomed. I follow them on social media where they post pictures, videos, and updates. It has been heartwarming to see people’s reaction to the monks and their message.  

The real star of the journey is Aloka the peace dog!  Aloka was found in India, obviously a stray, and she followed the monks on their walk across India and they adopted her and brought her along on their walk across America!  All along the route here, local veterinarians and animal groups have helped care for Aloka with medical checkups, food, and treats!  

If a bunch of rednecks in Mississippi and Alabama can celebrate a peace walk by some Buddhist monks, it gives me hope that maybe there’s a chance that we can find real peace on earth.  

Merry Christmas everyone.  

P.S. If you’d like to follow them, they have a Facebook page, Walk for Peace. I’m not sure if they are on any other platforms. 

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