The world feels loud right now.
We love our families, but they need us to take care of them. We are proud of our jobs, but it asks us to do more with less. We are grateful for our lives, but the world around us feels like it’s total chaos.
The conditions are ripe for happiness and peace but how do we recognize and embrace it?
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Last week, I was blessed with the chance to witness the Walk for Peace Monks. Hundreds of strangers waited anxiously, chatting nervously with each other. One hour passed, then nearly two hours passed. The children were getting restless and the air was getting colder.
And then something changed. A hush fell. And conversations stopped. The energy shifted. You could feel the electricity in the air. The monks appeared. Walking. Silent. Steady. Calm. I could feel something ignite inside of me.
I cried on the drive there. I cried while waiting. I cried as they passed. But what surprised me most happened afterward:
When I returned home, the demands of family felt lighter. The pressure of work felt less consuming. The chaos around me felt… quieter.
Nothing in my world had changed. I had.
Peace didn’t come from removing responsibility. It came from witnessing a different way of moving through it. Those monks didn’t stop the world. They simply walked with intention, and the environment responded.
The chaos will continue. The bus will keep moving.
The question is: How are you walking today?