I don’t fully know a monk is. I think it’s a wild, wooley man with a burlap sack mumbling prayers in some desert hut, arguing with God on the spiritual plane while toiling on the physical one. I don’t fully know what one would look like in the 21st century America – but in my mind it’s Fred Rogers with a beard and maybe a bigger body. In my life, I find God’s tasks are numerous, large, and always slightly too tough.

Oh, I don’t discourage anyone from following a path of a Monk. Man, Woman, and all my wonderful Fellows who are on their journey of personal discorvery – all are welcome at the Lord’s Table.  If you feel it as a Call, it’s a Call. I do want to offer warnings from my path (what, 4 months? Is that even a step?) in that God will grant you certain Powers – self-discipline, personal accountability, and an authentic perspective on the world in which much is taken for granted.

Each Power is a configuration of your soul – if you take in self-discipline into your heart, vices turn facile and joys are appreciated because they have to be earned. It is going “cold turkey” on much of the consumeristic lifestyle we’ve enjoyed in America, and directing your mind towards purposeful work. Video games, podcasts, beer, marijuana – these have little-to-no appeal for me these days when once I needed all of them in my daily routine.  If you take in personal accountability – you will have an honest understanding of your limitations, your values, and the intrinsic worth of you soul to God. It was not a pleasant inventory for me, to be sure, but I check in periodically and I find that my limitations expand, my values are clear and non-fungible by circumstances or people, and my intrinsic value is what it always was to God, but now it is to me. If you take in authentic perspective – you can know and speak Truths and Worries honestly, which allows others to share their fears and concerns openly. But you will not be heard by most, and Truths or Worries (because what, we Monks-in-Training know everything?) aren’t nearly as dire to others as they are to us.

Sometimes I think there’s a paradox if God can truly know everything and grant us free will. I think He knows the general outline but likes the actors interpret the scenes. That’s some Monk-theology if I ever heard it.

I have a lot of experience raising two children – precisely 5 years with Jacob and almost 8 with Ellie. In the time, whenever we go to a toy shop, a local groceries, or to Target (Monks-in-training need stuff too!) I always tell the kids to say “Thank You”. I heard on an Ezra Klein podcast that there only culturally etiquette time to say “Thank You” in both directions is between the buyer and the shop-owner. It is an exchange of value that is mutually beneficial to both parties, so both parties are grateful. I didn’t know that – that podcast I listened to this year and I’ve been doing it out of “gotta teach these kiddos some manners….” instinct.

But, is that really the only time to say Thank You? I don’t know if that’s true because that would indicate that no other engagements have mutual benefits to the parties. Is it weird to be grateful for the Post Office? Or is it something I should take for granted? If I take it for granted, then I have an expectation of service and communication. If I take it as gratitude, then I’ve no expectations at all. I am unsure because both options feel extreme. I think it really comes down to other side’s expectations as well – if they’re wondering the same thing or wanting the similar. If one was moderate-inclined, one would try to hold both tracks in parallel.

Oh whatever. Just say Thank You.  No one does it enough and rarely do people thank the thankers – so make sure you spot the few left still trying to be generous in spirit and give them a heartfelt thanks. These are challenging times and it’s easy to lean-back and close up. It’s expected.

Frankly, and I’m embarrassed to say, rewarded in more Progressive circles. I worry that the generous spirit of progressives will be curtailed through self-censure and community-reinforced norms to “keep up appearances” to insulate itself from what is a rapidly deteriorating country.

I am Progressive-in-spirit, but I have to shake my head at what the community-at-Large is doing with their time and efforts. More on that later.