More than 80 residents walked silently in single file along neighborhood sidewalks Sunday morning during a Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. Organizers said the 3.2-mile walk was intended to embody peace through quiet reflection and community participation. Inspired by a 2025 journey undertaken by Buddhist monks who walked 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., this local walk honors their quiet, steadfast devotion to peace. Aside from the sound of footsteps along the roadway, little could be heard.
The free, community-led event invited participants to step away from the noise of daily life and unite in a shared intention for peace — both within their own lives and for the world at large.
Community members gathered at Stramski Park for the afternoon walk.
Lead organizer Ellen Petersen greeted everyone by asking participants to turn inward and think about what peace means in their own lives, but also in the lives of our friends, families, community and the greater world.
Walkers made a 30-minute stop at Abbot Hall for rest, reflection and a brief ceremony. Resident and organizer James Ashton led participants in a blessing, an affirmation, a minute of silence and the ringing of a bell.
Another organizer, Pat Chase, said, “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to walk in silence with others carrying the intention of peace in my heart. Mother’s Day provides the perfect occasion to reflect on and honor the roles of mothers in our own families throughout history.”
Participants also reflected on the meaning of the walk, which organizers hope will become an annual event. Petersen, who’s lived in Marblehead for 36 years said, “I believe we all hold the seeds of peace within ourselves. Having an outward manifestation of what peace means in our community is a beautiful thing.”
Chase added: “We are all connected, sharing the same planet. World peace is possible with understanding, acceptance and love.”
Another participant, Maryellen Solomon-Auger, said, “I am the better for having walked for peace in our own community and with others. I hope the spirit of peace shared throughout the 3.2-mile walk radiates out into our community and across the world wherever it’s needed most.”
Rev. Patricia Long said, “Perhaps our churches are emptying — nonetheless, today’s Walk for Peace assures us that spiritual energy is very much alive.”
