Farewell to Ben and contemplative days

This past week, we had three Contemplative Days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On those days, we focus on prayer, study and rest while the Guest House welcomes a reduced number of guests.  These guests particularly love round-the-clock silence and a simplified daily office schedule. The monks always look forward to those days as restorative.

Unfortunately, I was under the weather for the first three days of the week. I stayed in my room for the first two days to not share whatever bug I was struggling with. I felt depleted and spent much time sleeping and (make hay while you can) reading as much as my energy would allow. I have been on the mend for the rest of the week and feel much better now.

As it happens, this was also a week where I had four visits scheduled. I got to spend quality time with a couple of generous donors on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, I met for lunch with friends from Washington, DC, who were coming our way for a weekend class on hors d'oeuvres at the Culinary Institute of America, across the river, in Poughkeepsie. I made a pitch for them to invite me as a guinea pig after their class...

On Friday, I was visited by one of my bosses at JP Morgan back in my banking days. He is now retired and lives in Kent, England. He and his wife were spending time at a friend's home in New Paltz. On Saturday, my friend Anne-Marie came up from Short Hills, NJ for the day. We also go back to my banking days in Brussels (we computed that we were colleagues over 25 years ago).

The week was marked by the end of Ben Hansknecht Monastic Internship with us (the first of its kind). On our Sabbath day, Monday, we had a party in the West Atrium of our enclosure to celebrate Ben's being with us through this past year.

On Friday, at mass, Br. Josép thanked our Ben on behalf of all our community for all his contributions to our community's life in the past eleven months. We presented Ben with a framed calligraphy of Br. Roy. Ben is leaving this Sunday afternoon (smart man; he didn't want to miss out on a last Sunday lunch!). He will be with his family in upstate New York for a few weeks before moving to the Boston area to start a new job there.

Farewell, Ben! And Thanks!
And now, if you know a man or woman under thirty years of age who would be interested to experiment with the monastic life for a year, make sure to direct him or her to Br. Josép, our Director of Internships. And thank you, Br. Josép dreaming this program into reality and for giving it your energy, care, and structure.

Ending a Monastic Internship. From top left, clockwise: Ben vested as gospeler on a recent Sunday; Brothers assembled in the West Atrium of our enclosure for a community party for Ben; (Middle Right) Br. Josép presents Ben with a Br. Roy calligraphy as part of our formal thank you; another party shot; Ben's parting words on the enclosure's community blackboard.

The fall colors are starting to come out. It was a bad week to be sick and a perfect week to enjoy the outdoors. We see little red and russet yet but yellows and oranges are dotting the greenery.

Autumn joys. From top left, clockwise: the monastery in discreet autumn colors as seen from the Vanderbilt Mansion by my DC friends; the monastery church and the enclosure from the bottom of our meadow; a guest crouching by the river to enjoy the sweeping view; one of the many shrines encountered on our lower trails near the river; me with Judy Griffin-Schram from Lexington, VA (who came with a Lexington Grace Church group); me and my friend Anne-Marie catching up with a cup of coffee in the garden.

And here is a bonus for our faithful readers, a couple of peeks at "enclosure living" at the monastery.
We have recently, moved and revamped our in-house gym. Several of us use it regularly for the greater benefit of our health. The pictures below are of the "morning crew": Bros. Aidan and Simon are there most days around 5 a.m. I have been a morning regular for five weeks now. I have committed to exercising six days a week until Thanksgiving. Hopefully, after that, it will be an acquired habit.

Enclosure scenes. From top left, clockwise: Bros. Simon and Aidan doing floor exercises; our clean and bright sewing room: it sees Br. Aidan pretty often; on the sewing table, a quilting project featuring naturally-dyed fabric; Bros. Simon and Aidan doing aerobic exercise (I work out too but it's hard taking selfies while lifting weights...)

May you enjoy the gifts of the season wherever you are. Peace!