The Walk for Peace Continues...

  

"We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us."

-- Bhikkhu Pannakara, spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace

 

I’ve been thinking about the group of Buddhist monks and their dog, Aloka, who began their journey in Fort Worth, Texas, and have been walking approximately 20 miles a day for about 80 days now.

That’s getting up in the morning, walking for 20 miles among traffic and throngs of well-wishers, supporters, and thankful folk inspired by their dedication, having one meal a day, sleeping, generally outside, then doing it the next day, and the next for approximately 120 days.

And I complained about a 30-hour course I am taking.

I fear for the monks and Aloka as they turn north toward Washington, D.C. It can be bitterly cold there.

I was disheartened this morning when a friend told me she hadn’t heard of the monks' walk for Peace.

Isn’t it in the news?

Their story is abundantly recorded, videoed, and posted on Instagram—their walking, their millions of followers, Aloka, their street dog from India, now a peace promoter, and the story of one monk who lost a leg when a truck plowed into their escort vehicle, which ricocheted into the marchers, injuring two monks.

Still, the able-bodied monks march, accompanied by Aloka. I saw him frolicking with a wild boar during one day’s walk. He eagerly greets children, allows them to pet him, romps on the grass beside the roadway, and trots with the group or leads them.

He had to be quarantined when he arrived in the US, (In one picture, I saw the facility's logo that tenderly cared for him during quarantine—it was ARC). Quarantine meant being separated from his tribe for a time. And three days ago, he had surgery for an injured leg, another separation.

Today I saw him reunited with his group, but only for a short while; he must go back to rehabilitation.

While still in India, he was struck by a car and became ill, but he joined the monks there on a 112-mile walk for peace, and they wouldn’t leave him behind.

Now he is the Peace Dog in the US.

This group of monks and their faithful companion is a shining moment in an otherwise depressing and discouraging time.

Perhaps a silent walk asking only for Peace, Kindness, and Compassion will show the way. Perhaps a whisper for peace speaks louder than a shout.

And to all the folks out in the streets, respectfully watching them pass, urging them on, offering water or food, offering flowers, eager to pat Aloka, and looking out for his safety, I commend you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️You are what makes America Great—your heart, ❤️ your love, ❤️ your yearning for peace and stability. You want a land where you can breathe free, a land without constant fear and disruption. You have gentle psyches. Those psyches deserve protection from constant wrangling, fear, and distrust.

You are the Peace Lovers, the people lovers, and the life-affirming folks.

I wanted to tell everyone about the Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace, and their faithful companion, Aloka. I figured they had already heard of it. But then the friend told me she didn’t know about it, so I’m back here showing pictures and telling you that there are lovely compassionate people in our country.

To follow and keep abreast of their whereabouts, please go to Instagram: Walkforpeace.usa    or   alokathepeacedog

Aloka will not walk the entire distance because of his surgery. He will be walking short distances to build up his strength while allowing his leg to recover. If he had his way, he would be walking with them. When they placed him in a vehicle, he made it clear he would rather walk, even if it’s cold.

The monks ask for nothing. They walk for Peace, Kindness, and Compassion, and with the prayer that this is not a one-time event but a peace for all time.

That’s it.

News stories:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/meet-buddhist-monks-pilgrimage-peace-030520906.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall/

or

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/13/buddhist-monks-walk-peace/88160541007/

 

 

 

“The more at peace you become, the less you tolerate chaos.

“You stop explaining yourself to people committed to misunderstanding you.

_You stop showing up in places that disturb your calm.”

--Tibetan Monk

 

Walk With US

 

 

 

Aloka, the Peace dog is up and recovering from yesterday's surgery on his leg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following the Monks Walk for Peace across a bridge over troubled waters.

The Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace:

1. To awaken the Peace that lives in all of us.

2. Walk with us mentally. 

“Mentally walk with us,” they said, and I think of walking 20 miles one day, then 20 miles the next and on and on for 120 days.

They began in Texas in October 2025, and plan to be in Washington, D.C. in February, a 120-day trek. On January 12, 2026, it was their 77th day of walking.

They are a light shining in darkness.

Yesterday, Aloka, the Peace Dog from the streets of India, where he was a stray who followed the Monks on a 112-mile trek for Peace, UNDERWENT SURGERY for a foot/leg injury.

I know he was struck by a car in India and became sick, but he had been frolicking and happy on his trek in the US. A 3-hour surgery only took an hour, and he is awake and recovering.

There will be a period of recovery, and only 10-minute walks 6 times a day.

When they placed him in the car, for it was bitterly cold, he made noises the entire time. He wanted to be outside walking with the monks.

 

I'm writing a Newsletter, yes again, this one will pertain to writing only, different. and because every writer should have a newsletter, and I'm a writer, well, you see I have to have one.

  josnewsletter.com/

I’m inviting you to my Newsletter, but only if you mean it, are a writer, interested in writing, or simply curious. A subscription would allow you to know when I publish new material, or, of course, if you are reluctant to put your email address into the slot, you can email me directly at joshappytrails@gmail.com, and I will forward you a “Notice of new content posted.” Nothing else.

Jo’s Newsletter will be dedicated to subjects about, pertaining to, or information about writing. Well….a little of my personal life might slip in. Like this morning, I decided that morning isn’t morning for me until I spill my coffee.  I don’t mean a dropped cup, I mean a dribble, a splash, a slop.

 

Heaven help me.

I try to carry too much out to my office behind the house, two hands. three, four, five or six items, books, papers, gloves, a trek stick, a key for the office, plus two or three dogs wanting into the outback’s yard through the office’s side door. Who gets the brunt of it? My coffee.

Good thing I’m not spilling it on a dog.

There will be no duplication of my other blogs on my Jo's Newsletter. It will be for writers and interested parties only. And there will be NO AI USED IN MY CONTENT.

AI makes me livid. Almost everywhere I go, it wants to write for us. IF ANY SLIPS into my Newsletter IT WILL BE FROM TEMPLATES OR OTHER INVASIVE MATERIAL.

Why did we become writers?

Because we want to express ourselves, we love the craft, we love it when the Muse graces us with her presence, we want to stretch ourselves, we like investigating. How in the world can I write exposition, inner thoughts, outer descriptions, and dialogue all wrapped up in a pretty package of words?

I’m not a wordsmith.  I’m a painter with a pen—a phrase I remember for the Art Instruction Course I took when I was 18. Then, they were talking about pen and ink drawings. Now, I’m talking about writing.

Because we are fallible human beings, we make mistakes, typos, write stupid content, and sometimes write stuff that should be for our eyes only.  We try, we fail, we persevere.

It’s tricky.

Another thing: This morning, after reading Cara Hunter’s decision to remove herself from X (formerly Twitter—which I loved), I decided to remove myself as well. (It only took about an hour, password wrong, change password, get code, password wrong, “More” button—where the “settings” tab is stored, not working, changed carriers and got it. Whew.

A Northern Ireland politician (Cara Hunter) targeted in a deepfake video four years ago has said she is quitting Elon Musk's social media site X due to what she described as a "complete negligence in protecting women and children online".

I’m not a big-time contributor to X, so nobody will care if I’m on X or not.

But I care. 

I think I will go to Instagram. If the monks and their Peace dog Aloka can go on Instagram, I can.

https://josnewsletter.com/

                                                                 My baby