Walk for Peace

The Walk for Peace is a long-distance pilgrimage by Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, TX, to Washington, D.C., promoting peace, compassion, and nonviolence. Monks carry signs and engage with the public through quiet presence and peaceful interaction rather than political messaging. 

It passed through Raleigh over the horrible winter weather weekend. 

The walk began in Fort Worth, Texas, following a route through the southeastern United States, passing through states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. 

The path then went north through the Carolinas, on it's way to Virginia before concluding in Washington, D.C. - over 2,300 miles in all. The monks maintain a meditative walking pace and pause in various communities along the way to engage with local residents and share their message.  

Somehow, this walk has become "a thing" to draw in tens of thousands of people who would normally - probably - just dismiss it as an attention seeking gag.  People have been tracking the monks for over a week and everyone seemed to know that they were passing through Raleigh and wouldn't it be cool to see them?

But why? They are just a bunch of men in robes dedicated to their faith and their mission. People do extraordinary act to bring awareness to some thing all the time - yet they do not attract the public's attention like the monks do.

Maybe it's their mindfulness, or spirituality, or dedication what we all wish we could find in ourselves and therefore look up to in the acts of others.    

I think it is because we all need someone, or something, that rises above all of the awful, hateful rhetoric that is dividing the nation. We need a symbol of peace and the brotherhood of man that is so desperately lacking from any of our elected leaders. Some people are just tired of being so fucking angry all the time that they have stopped engaging with family and friends who have been incited to be angry all the time. Something to bring us back to an emotional and spiritual center. 

And so I found myself driving out towards Jordan Lake on Highway 64 to see if I could see them. At first I thought I missed them because I could not find them on their map tracker. Then I saw a car on the side of the road and a few people with signs. I didn't miss them. For the next 6 miles I drove to find a good spot to watch them. For the next 6 miles the sides of the road filled with parked cars. A dozen people? No, thousands. Thousands of people. All of these people looking for a little peace.

We saw the flashing blue lights of the police escort about a quarter mile away as they approached. And then a weird thing happened. 

The crowd went quiet. Church quiet. Then the sound of feet on the pavement. Then it was over. For a just moment it seemed like the world went on mute and slow motion at the same time before returning to normal.

Just like that they walked on. The monks in silence as a low murmur grew among us who they has passed. Just like that it was over and a majority of us returned to our cars and drove off.  

I can't tell you that I feel any of those things, more centered, or mindful, or spiritual. But I wouldn't discount it either. I am glad I was out there to witness them and I was happy to go out there and see so, so many others like me.   

 

 

 

Decade of the Dog

2015

2025

Still. The. Best. Dog. Ever.

She has been with us for ten years and is the spoiled member of the family. 

Table scraps? Yes.

Belly rubs? Yep.

Sleeps in the bedroom?  Uh-huh.

Sporting a couple extra pounds? Oh yeah.

Lucie is the community dog. She watches out the window from her perch on the second floor. She is the dog other dogs get along with. Lucie is the big dog that little kids feel comfortable around. Our neighbor walks her for company on her daily stroll.

And still she is our dog - Lisa's dog. Every morning she is at the side of the bed to say "good morning" and wait for ear rubs and back scratches. She follows Lisa when she leaves the room or comes into the kitchen when she knows I am making food. She is the one thing to look forward to when everything else is going sideways.

When she is gentle and sweet source of love and affection...

...and a grand (older) lady.  

Twenty Years of Us

Twenty years. It sounds like such a big number, and yet, it doesn't feel that long at all. Today marks two decades since we stood on that pier in Key West, surrounded by family, wind, sunlight, and promised to love each other for life. Two decades of laughter, grace, and growth. Two decades of choosing each other-- even when it was hard, even when life didn't go as planned-- and trusting that God would meet us in the middle. 

I still remember the morning of our wedding day like it was yesterday. We started the day with a run. Before the day swept us up, we met early, laced up our shoes, and explored Key West, logging the miles together. It was so us. I don't remember how far we went, but I remember how right it felt-- like we were literally running into our future together. 

Later that day, standing on the pier, I got lost in your eyes during our vows. We still laugh about that moment today. We were so full of promise, wide-eyed and hopeful, believing that love could carry us through anything. And somehow, by the grace of God, it has. 

Now, twenty years later, that promise has been realized. We are what I hoped for, what I dreamed of... and more. When I look at you now, I still get lost in your eyes, but I also see all that we've created-- a life built on faith, laughter, forgiveness, and love that keeps deepening and fueling us forward. We did it. We are doing it. Living. Loving. Together. 

And as I think of our children, I hope they see it too. I hope they see what love looks like-- not perfect, but persistent. I hope they see two people who work at it (and have fun doing so), who give grace, and support each other through it all. I hope they know how deeply we love each other, and how much we love them. Because this life, this marriage, this family is one of the greatest gifts God has given us and in turn, one of the greatest gifts we've given to Samantha, TJ, and Grant. This is what love is. 

I know we promised to go back to Key West every ten years to celebrate. We made it on our 10th, but this year, life had other plans. Still, we will find our way back. And when we do, we'll lace up our shoes again, trace those familar streets, and thank God for twenty years-- for all the answered prayers I didnt even know to pray, and for the way we have put one foot in front of the other, one mile, one moment at a time. 

 

Happy Anniversary! Here's to us and to all of the life we have yet to live side-by-side.