i discovered the haiku, and the haiku is such a short form i started combining it with my meditation acti. above dim snow fields lone light of venus, lone wail of goose pleading for spring. you're in god's beauty, and it's physical. it's almost like a symphony flowing by me as i walk along, relaxed, and it's a beautiful experience. >> occasionally over the years, he would climb to the top of this water tower until finally the abbot closed it off. brother paul quips, "this used to be a fun place." it was this little cottage, the hermitage, where thomas merton spent years in isolation, praying and writing. retreatants visit the abbey year round, seeking to slow down at a place where prayer is the main form of activity. >> i think they come here seeking for quiet and, you know, an atmosphere of prayer, and maybe some seeds of wisdom, and just to see what it is to live this kind of life. >>what purpose do you see in living the trappist's life in the modern world? >> well, i think the purpose of the monastic life in the modern world is to show that we don't need a purpose. the purpose of