I think it's a tender thing: Late last year, a friend brought our attention to 19 Buddhist monks on a 2300-mile trek across the United States. Their destination: Washington D.C. Their mission: to spread a message of peace, compassion, unity and kindness. Alongside the monks one couldn’t help but notice a furry, four-legged friend, a rescue dog from India named Aloka (he even has his own Instagram @alokathepeacedog).

The story of Aloka, the loyal companion to the monks, has now made national headlines. A stray that first began following the monks on a peace walk in India, he continued with them even after falling ill and being hit by a car. The monks welcomed their new friend as one of their own and named him Aloka, a Sanskrit word meaning “enlightenment.” As we write this, the monks are leaving Georgia and setting foot into South Carolina, with crowd sizes along their route growing with each day. To say this has been the “good news story” we needed now is an understatement.

When we launched this business six years ago, we chose the name Aloka after a trip to India where founding partners Ashu and his son Monik were visiting Dadi (Ashu’s mother) in her home near Jaipur. “Every Sanskrit word has many meanings,” says Ashu. “Aloka is like blending the words illumination and vision. And the soft phonetics of Aloka is just soothing.”

The monks marching along with Aloka the Peace Dog has been a true beacon of light in a dark time for many. We are so grateful for their dedication and example.