Working and living among the brothers at Christ in the Desert was an experience that I was not prepared for. I can honestly say that I don't regret going through the process, but I can assure everyone that I will not be doing it again. I must admit that I have learned more about myself by taking this journey through this ancient way of life. I discovered that monks are powerful individuals who have dedicated their lives to unlocking the hidden blessing that exists in prayer and servitude to God.
 
Through these men I have come to know the rewards that exists in silence, and in that silence I found a discipline that is now echoing through my life. I've come to learn that silence is needed  to catch the whispers of joy that come from heaven. To live among such men has impacted my life in many ways. I found a community of brothers who guided me to finally accept and grieve for the brother I lost to the streets. Life in the monastery was the best tangible example of a living community; a community where everyone kept constant vigil over the spiritual well-being of all who lived there.
 
To participate in this way of being has provided me with much insight on what is really important in life.  Working in the monastery has taught me not to make my work my life, but to bring life to my work. It has taught me that what you can't finish today will be waiting for you tomorrow, and what you do finish only moves you to the next task. Until I reached the doors of the monastery, I thought that providing for my family was my key responsibility as a family man. In 40 days I came to realize that providing more quality time of myself to my family was my ultimate responsibility as a father, partner and son.
 
There were times that I wished the cameras weren't on me, and there were moments when I was inhibited from sharing. But as the process moved on, I really came to appreciate that I was being captured on film as I was transforming through this process. I can add that I had my struggles; being the only man who had children came with a sacrifice. Off camera I would shed tears because I could not hear the voices of my children within this capsule of silence called a monastery. But that sacrifice did provide a reward. Today I carefully listen to my children in a capacity that I did not before my time at the monastery. Now I listen to my children through my heart, and I respond with an outpouring of actions that demonstrate my love to them.
 
When I was at the monastery, my given monk name was Daniel -- my late and only sibling's middle name was Daniel. On Aug. 15, my family would have celebrated his birthday, but we did not. However, on Aug. 15, 2006, we did celebrate the birthday of my son Daniel. Born on a very special day, he is a child sent from heaven, a gift from God saying that he has faith in me, to take what I have learned at the monastery and use it every day of my life.