Dawn Hunter's South Carolina Sunshine
Walking Peace Through South Carolina
January 2025
Near year's end in 2025, a handful of Buddhist monks left Fort Worth, walking slowly toward unknown towns, each step echoing a quiet truth: peace grows through effort, not waiting. Their journey, named the Walk for Peace, stretches about 2,300 miles southward, aimed at reaching Washington, D.C., come early spring. Instead of noise or fame, they find calm in steady motion, passing through cities without fanfare or banners. Rather than words or petitions, their message spreads by showing up - day after day, side by side.
Photo in this section courtesy of Perry McLeod.
Early January saw the path enter South Carolina, where attitudes changed in quiet ways that could not be ignored. These weren’t isolated events tucked between miles - they were moments, each one real, showing how ordinary lives connected with the journey: towns slowing down, people gathering by the road, officials offering greetings, others showing unity without words.
Folks stood along Saluda's streets, hands raised or heads bowed, while others met at Leesville's edge, quiet together for seconds. At highway spots meant for toilets and signs, crowds showed up - not for speeches, just to stop moving. Nothing was staged, nothing rushed past it worked. When vehicles slowed, glances crossed across pavement, and that was enough.
From Fairfield County onward, the monks met villagers who stepped forward without fanfare. Local figures shook hands, then handed over small pins - quiet tokens tied to tradition. These were pinned carefully onto a long cloth strip, part symbol, part souvenir. A gesture like this often signals distance bridged, not division created. Something quiet said: this path matters because we chose it together.
Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & & in this section courtesy of Perry McLeod, photo 5 courtesy of Flavia Isabella Lovatelli and photo 8 courtesy of the Official Page Walk for Peace.
“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
– Buddha
Walk for Peace, continued:
It made sense to head to Columbia next. Once past the Gervais Street Bridge, the community gathered around the monks, walking together up to the State House stairs. There, representatives from the city and state spoke, marking the moment when deep splits - in politics, culture, life itself - seem harder to avoid than ever.
Instead of talking about disagreements between people, they described battles within - the usual responses, unexamined beliefs, and thought habits that feed tension. What came through wasn’t blaming or telling others what to do. It carried stillness, depth, and for quite a few present, a strange kind of clarity.
Walking alongside the monks throughout the journey is Aloka, a rescue dog whose steady presence has become a symbol of companionship and gentleness. Having joined the monks during an earlier peace walk abroad, Aloka now draws smiles, conversation, and attention—often serving as an entry point for connection where words might fail. When he required veterinary surgery during the South Carolina leg of the journey, local care providers stepped in, offering treatment freely and ensuring his recovery could continue alongside the walk.
After Columbia, the pilgrimage moved north again—through Ridgeway, toward Great Falls, and onward to the Carolinas beyond. The rhythm resumed: walking, resting, listening, continuing.
Photo in this section courtesy of the Official Walk for Peace Facebook page.
Learn more about the Walk for Peace!
Visit the Official Page of Walk for Peace Facebook page to learn more about the 120-day, 2,300-mile journey by Buddhist monks — with loyal dog, Aloka — walking from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world
Photo in this section courtesy of the Official Walk for Peace Facebook page.
