A few weeks ago, the world was introduced to a brave group of 19 Buddhist monks, accompanied by a stray dog, Aloka. These monks have made a long trek from Fort Worth, Texas with the journey culminating in Washington, D.C. As social media is platforming the monks’ expedition and Aloka their dog companion, people must first learn the motive behind the walk. This is a journey of spreading peace.
I, like most young people, was unaware of the monks’ mission until stumbling into a post on Instagram just days before Christmas. My family was unaware of this, as we were preparing for the upcoming holiday. I decided to follow along and keep an eye on my social media feeds for more content regarding the venerable monks.
After reading a caption from the monks’ official page, I wonder why this is important to us now. It became clear that the mission was to promote kindness, compassion, and peace…