(OPINION) I did not expect my Methodist heart to be strangely warmed by watching nineteen Buddhist monks walk across America — from Texas to Washington, D.C. — bearing witness to peace, compassion, forgiveness, and healing. Instead of absorbing one more news cycle of outrage sliding toward despair, I find myself peace-scrolling —watching venerable monks walking slowly and mostly silently along highways and through small towns, raising hope simply by moving forward. By the time they arrive in Washington, D.C., sometime next month, they will have walked more than 2,300 miles — day after day, for more than three months. Today, as I write this, the monks have arrived in Raleigh, North Carolina, gathering at the State Capitol in freezing temperatures for a peace rally. Along the way, they have faced real setbacks: one monk forced to turn back, their beloved peace dog, Aloka, requiring surgery, and an escort vehicle needing replacement.