Happy Thanksgiving to All from Walk for Peace

 

As people across the United States set aside their work to enter the Thanksgiving holiday, this moment becomes a gentle invitation for each person to pause and listen to the quiet stream of gratitude arising within the heart.

 

From the earliest days when the first settlers arrived on unfamiliar land, they bowed in thanks for the harvest and for the kindness of the Indigenous people who helped them endure. That spirit continues to this day: a remembrance of the many conditions that support us, just as the Buddha taught about the gratitude owed to parents, to teachers, and to all beings who sustain our lives in countless unseen ways.

 

Over the years, Thanksgiving has become a time for families to gather. Those who live far away return home, and those who are busy make an effort to set aside their tasks so that everyone can sit together at one table and speak honestly with one another, something daily life often makes us forget.

 

Yet gratitude is not only about acknowledging our own abundance. It reminds us to think of those who are struggling, so that from gratitude arises the wholesome wish to share. Many families, temples, and community groups choose this day to offer food to the homeless, bringing warmth to places that are often cold and forgotten. Such acts of giving, born from gratitude, bring a gentle joy because true happiness arises when we bring peace and comfort to others.

 

In this atmosphere, anger is softened, misunderstandings are healed, and a small candle of gratitude is lit within each heart. When we appreciate the presence of one another, suffering becomes lighter and our steps on the path of life become more steady.

 

Though Thanksgiving is a major tradition of the United States and Canada, it is not tied to any single religion, because its essence lies not in ritual but in intention. Therefore anyone can participate, and anyone can open their heart, for as the Buddha taught, all wholesome qualities begin from a pure and mindful thought.

 

As the Sangha continues its quiet Journey across the vast land of America, we feel even more deeply the meaning of gratitude for all the support that surrounds the Peace Walk. Each time the monks step into a new region, the colors of many cultures weave together like a great tapestry of humanity, each thread meeting the other with respect and goodwill.

 

These encounters remind us of an important truth: cultures can blend, religions can sit together, and nations can join hands, but such harmony becomes possible only when peace is present and alive in the hearts of all. Therefore, this year’s Thanksgiving is not only a moment to acknowledge the blessings of life. It is also a gentle reminder that each step of the Sangha’s Journey contributes a small yet meaningful note to a larger harmony shared
by many peoples and many traditions.

 

A harmony that can only arise when all hearts turn toward peace, nurturing wisdom and loving kindness so that this world may continue to be connected in understanding and compassion.

 

Namo Buddhāya
Namo Dhammāya
Namo Saṅghāya
Walk for Peace –
We walk to bless all beings,
so that peace may take root,
and love, understanding, and compassion may spread in all directions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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