AM with MERTON (In Solitude)

"Life in the world was utterly abnormal. Life in the monastery is not ordinary. It is a freakish sort of life. The freakishness is not St.Benedict's fault, but maybe it is necessary. In solitude, at last, I shall be just a person, no longer corrupted by being known, no longer creating myself in the image of a slightly unbalanced society. Living in the likeness of God who is my life: that is to say, living asunknown. For a Christian is one whom the world does not know.

'Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the Children of God, and such we are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.' I John 3:1."

( A SEARCH FOR SOLITUDE THE JOURNALS OF THOMAS MERTON Volume Three 1952-1960, page 27...Thomas Merton wrote this in his journal on December 29, 1952 )

What part does solitude contribute to my life?

Via Wayne Burns-- thanks Wayne