When Robes Meet the Road
Enjoy Our Book Samples
DAY 1
BURLESON, TEXAS
October 26, 2025
Kickoff Ceremony at Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center
Midday alms in Fort Worth.
The morning air is cool,
the sky pale with the first light of autumn.
At Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center,
monks gather in saffron robes,
their palms pressed together,
their breaths steady.
Families fill the courtyard—
Vietnamese, Lao, Thai, Cambodian, American—
a tapestry of cultures woven together
by the simple wish for peace.
Aloka, still young and bright‑eyed,
circles the monks with excitement,
tail wagging like a small banner of joy.
The walk begins.
In Fort Worth,
their first alms are offered—
warm rice, warm soup,
warm hands extending blessings.
The monks bow.
The road stretches ahead.
DAY 108
WASHINGTON, D.C.
February 10, 2026
Visits:
• National United Methodist Church
• American University’s Bender Arena
• Washington National Cathedral
• Embassy Row
• George Washington University
This is the day
the monks enter the nation’s capital.
They walk past monuments,
museums,
embassies,
and universities —
their presence a quiet river
flowing through the heart of power.
At the National United Methodist Church,
they chant blessings.
At American University,
students gather in awe.
At the Washington National Cathedral,
their footsteps echo
beneath soaring stone arches.
Embassy Row greets them
with flags from around the world.
At George Washington University,
students walk beside them,
asking questions,
offering gratitude.
The leader monk lifts his staff.
The badges shimmer in the winter light.
Aloka trots proudly,
tail swaying like a small banner of peace.
The walk continues —
toward its final days,
its final miles,
its final offering to the world.