May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace.
—Walk For Peace - Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara
The Buddhist monks and their beautiful “peace dog” Aloka, finished their walk, travelling 2,300 miles from Texas to Washington DC in 109 days. They walked “to raise awareness of inner peace and mindfulness across America and the world.” They walked for ALL of us.
Their journey was not without hardship. Not long after beginning, their support van was hit by a truck and pushed into the monks. Two of them had to be hospitalized, one lost his leg. Aloka, a dog rescued by the monks in a walk across India and who now walks alongside them, also had to have leg surgery. They encountered illness, injury, horrible weather, extreme cold, and still they walked.
I know I am not alone in the tears I shed watching them. It broke my heart that we needed a reminder of the simple truth that we should always be kind to one another. It was also heartwarming to see how many people showed up to see them and to help them on their journey. To see how many lives they touched.
This week, I simply want to repost the words of the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara shared yesterday in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I hope we can all take them to heart and incorporate them into our everyday lives. And let us not forget that change, no matter how hard, requires exactly what these monks demonstrated. Wake up every day with focus, keep putting one foot in front of the other, be kind to yourself and everyone around you, and eventually you will reach your destination.
May every nation live in safety, stability and dignity free from fear, chaos and unnecessary suffering.
May every person be heard, respected and protected regardless of race, their background, faith or the language that they speak.
May fear be replaced by understanding and may misunderstanding never again become a reason for violence.
May hatred be transformed into compassion, so pain is met with care instead of blame.
May peace exist not only in words and speeches but in laws, policies, communities and daily life.
May true strength be measured not by control, force or weapons, but by how we protect one another, especially our children and the vulnerable.
May progress always walk together with morality and may growth never be built on human suffering.
May dialogue be chosen over confrontation and listening over judgment in families, societies and nations.
May people find peace within their own hearts so that the world no longer needs violence to survive.
May the path to peace require no enemies, but only human beings returning to morality, to responsibility and to one another.
Last but not least, remember every morning to write down what we've talked about....."Today is going to be my peaceful day."
Much love and peace to you all.
Lisa
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Lisa Hamil is a founding member and host for The SOS Collective, an online international women’s recovery and support group. However, this blog and any classes or coaching offered by Lisa Hamil LLC are separate from and not affiliated in any way with The SOS Collective.
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