A New Generation Keeps the Faith

Were he alive and painting today, Norman Rockwell’s American images would no doubt differ from the ponytails and bullfrogs of yesterday. They might look something like this: a 13-year-old boy grinning broadly through his orthodontia as a saffron-robed Buddhist monk shaves his head.

In a tradition that spans 100 generations and thousands of miles, three young boys were initiated as novices at the Wat Thai Temple in North Hollywood, the largest Thai temple outside Thailand. For two weeks, the boys live the austere lives of Buddhist monks--sleeping on mats and forgoing food and play in favor of reflection and contemplation. The experience by no means commits them to lives as monks, but instead connects them to their faith and its traditions.

The veneer of America changes constantly as skin color and language and faith reflect each successive wave of immigrants. But little changes beneath the surface, as the three young novices demonstrate. They are boys on the cusp of becoming men, exploring their faith and their history and applying those ancient lessons to modern life.