Monk

 The root word for “Monk” is alone but not in the sense of alienation or loneliness, or isolation.  Quite the contrary.  Alone means “Being One,” in the sense of being one with oneself, a sense of unity not scattered.  And this oneness is really “being at one with the Mystery” I call God.  “Well,” you say, “I am not a monk, so I cannot have this Oneness.”  Maybe you can.  How does the monk arrive at this oneness?  Being in touch with the now, living awareness in the present moment, which is reality.  There is only a future in your imagination and a past in your memory.  The really real is the now.  Yes, there are practicalities about daily life that require some planning, learning from the past, but you can do that and still stay in the now.  Meditation helps to heighten the now moment so we don’t get too far away from the really real.  “See you later!”  Oops, what happened to that ‘NOW?”