‘Where’s the meaning in everything?’ Lessons learned from a week as a Buddhist monk

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In late February, 2024, the WPLN newsroom received an intriguing email. It was from Don Srisuriyo, a student engagement coordinator at Middle Tennessee State University. He was about to take part in a rite of passage. One that is common in Thailand, his parents’ home country, but not to Thai communities in the U.S. Srisuriyo would be temporarily ordained as a Buddhist monk, and live for eight days at a temple, following the same strict rules as the rest of the monks.

Don invited WPLN to his ordination ceremony, which would kick off his time as a monk. I covered the event along with WPLN editor and photographer Rachel Iacovone. It was a complex five-hour ritual that started with Don getting his long black hair completely shaved off.

He then