Remembering the fallen in Afghanistan

On September 17th, I was invited by the city of Pacific Grove to participate in an interfaith ceremony featuring 10 places of worship and religious centers from the Monterey community to conduct remembrance and prayers for the 13 service members of the US military who were killed during the evacuation of Afghanistan.

I was very happy to be given the chance to pray for the fallen, remembering all those who have died during this difficult time. In addition to being a Buddhist monk, I am an American citizen now, and this is my duty and I am very happy to do this. There were many religious leaders present who conducted prayers, such as Christian, Hindu, amongst others, although I believe that I was the only Buddhist from the group.

I am very thankful for this opportunity, and I wish for peace, harmony, and love for one another in this great country and around the world.