A man's car broke down as he was driving past a beautiful old

 monastery.  He walked up the drive and knocked on the front door.  A

 monk answered, listened to the man's story and graciously invited him

 to spend the night.

 The monks fed the man and led him to a tiny chamber in which to

 sleep.  The man thanked the monks and slept serenely until he was

 awakened by a strange and beautiful sound.

 The next morning, as the monks were repairing his car, he asked about

 the sound that had woke him.

 "We're sorry," the monks said, "We can't tell you about the sound.

 You're not a monk."

 The man was disappointed, but eager to be gone, so he thanked the

 monks for their kindness and went on his way.  During quiet moments

 afterward, the man pondered the source of the alluring sound.

 Several years later the man happened to be driving in the same area.

 He stopped at the monastery on a whim and asked admittance.  He

 explained to the monks that he had so enjoyed his previous stay, he

 wondered if he might be permitted to spend another night under their

 peaceful roof.  The monks agreed, and so the man stayed with them

 again.

 Late that night, he heard the strange beautiful sound.  The following

 morning he begged the monks to explain the sound.  The monks gave

him  the same answer as before.

 "We're sorry.  We can't tell you about the sound. You're not a monk."

 By now the man's curiosity had turned to obsession.  He decided to

 give up everything and become a monk, for that was the only way he

 could learn about the sound.  He informed the monks of his decision

 and began the long and arduous task of becoming a monk.  Seventeen

 years later, the man was finally established as a true member of the

 order.

 When the celebration ended, he humbly went to the leader of the order

 and asked to be told the source of the sound.

 Silently, the old monk led the new monk to a huge wooden door.  He

 opened the door with a golden key.  That door swung open to reveal a

 second door of silver, then a third of gold and so on until they had

 passed through twelve doors, each more magnificent than the last.

 The new monk's face was awash with tears of joy as he finally beheld

 the wondrous source of the beautiful mysterious sound he had heard

so  many years before..........

 But, I can't tell you what it was.  You're not a monk