Supper was at 6 p.m. With classical music playing in the background, I ate corn on the cob, a delicious soup, fruit, salad with trappist cheese, and milk. The music so simplifies the experience. It creates a longing of hope in my life. On a table nearby are fresh flowers and a small figurine with Mary and the baby Jesus beside it.
Monks eat in a separate area.
The dining area became a favorite place of mine. Since it rained the entire time we were there, I enjoyed sitting looking westward out of the window. I watched rain drops bounce, a chipmunk or two dash between rocks, cars pass in the distance, and listened to the music and cassettes played while we ate in silence. But there was something more there. I felt the presence of others in the room.