Quite some time back Tom's professor told us about a simple and spiritual recluse he found on a vacation in a monastery. He spent a week leading a monastic life in total silence. I was fairly intrigued and contemplated the idea shortly, then filed it at the back of my head and forgot about it. But then I began hearing about similar vacations some friends and acquaintances had taken or were planning on taking and it took me into a deeper train of thought.