Some of us are called to leave the ordinary, everyday, work world and isolate from others. History is replete with individuals who find it necessary to live outside of their community, even if it is only for awhile. Whether to create a space to contemplate, heal, make music, paint, or write, some folks are not exactly social beings everyday, all of the time. As a twin, I personally had a fascination with aloneness from a young age and developed a deep inner universe full of questions, wonder, and where books kept me company.

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Stick your head in the sand about politics, or prefer to not watch the news about the ruthless massacre of Israelis; although understandable, this is not the types of social isolation at focus here. Alan Paton's poem on the SIDE STREET page of this website speaks to those concerns. Rather, of interest is a particular kind of isolating that hinges on one's intention. I'm reminded of the tarot card The Hermit. Traditionally, he is depicted as a contemplative, hooded old man who holds a shinning lantern atop a mountain. He's not up there because he hates people. On the contrary, he will become a beacon of light in the darkness for many. You see, The Hermit willingly isolates to "receive" knowledge, which is what Kabbalah means in Hebrew. But the Hermit has a simultaneous obligation to return to the city he once seemingly abandoned to dispense his recently obtained insights and wisdom. . . .