Experience the collective hope and energy felt during a moving encounter with the monks as Walk For Peace passed through Charlotte earlier this year.
WRITTEN BY Bek Mitchell-Kidd
Walk for Peace, the 109-day, 2,300-mile journey by Buddhist monks—including loyal dog Aloka—walked from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness of peace, loving-kindness, and mindfulness across America and the world.
When they passed through Charlotte, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, on January 15, Peachy founder and publisher Blair Farris, along with her daughter Sydney, had the chance to experience it firsthand.
“It was a beautiful crisp winter day. No clouds in the sky,” comments Blair. “I am all about peace and love in life, and I wanted to support the beautiful integrity of the movement.”
Joining Sydney and Blair were dear friends Tara Winston Conrad and her husband, Mike. “I had some of our beloved son’s ashes with me in the hopes I could ask one of the monks to ‘carry’ our angel Winston with them as they journeyed to our hometown of Washington, D.C.,” says Tara.
As the monks approached, Tara realized she would need a more fitting vessel than the small bottle she had brought for Winston’s ashes.
Sydney had brought several feathers to offer the monks and shared one with Tara, suggesting she sprinkle Winston’s ashes onto it.
Tara reflects, “Just as I opened the container, the bottle literally flipped out of my hand and landed on the ground, but face up without a speck of ash spilled. Everyone around us gasped, but when we realized all the ashes were safe and sound, there was a moment of shared amazement at what we had just witnessed!”
Tara quickly picked up the container and sprinkled the ashes across the feather just as Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara was approaching. She made eye contact with him, knelt and extended the feather to him, and said, “Thank you—bless you.”
He smiled, took the feather from her hand, and placed it in the center of the bouquet he was carrying.
Blair, Sydney, and Tara were deeply moved by the many things they experienced in the monks’ presence. Tara concludes, “Nothing affected me more than feeling the collective energy and longing of the thousands who had gathered to witness these holy warriors share their message of peace and hope for our fractured world.”
To learn more about The Ancient Sacred Buddhist Scripture Stupas (Dhammacetiya) and Walk for Peace, visit: dhammacetiya.com.
