A man's car breaks down in a blizzard - the key to life

John Jonson was making the yearly 400-mile-long trip to his relatives when snow began to fall. Small flakes, each intricate and delicate quickly turned to heavy gusts of snow. It didn't take long before John's vision was obscured and his car, to his dismay, began to cough and splutter. John, with his lack of mechanical knowledge, felt helplessly alone and scared. A man of 34, wife, kids, nice car, he never could have imagined he would die of anything other than old age, but the chill was creeping into his bones. A sudden feeling of determination to survive spurred John to pull down his cap, unbuckle his seat belt, and start a trek into the unknown to try to find shelter. Poor John lasted an admirable 20 minutes trekking before falling to his knees. Was this it? John thought. Will I never see my family again?
Just then, John saw a hand outstretched in front of him, offering help to his scrunched-up form. With closer inspection it was a man in simple orange garb, bare chest showing through his low V-necked robe. He wore no footwear, leading John to wonder how he could manage in the negative temperatures like that. The man lead him to a small, tucked away monastery in the hills. A roaring fire marked the end of a great hall; four hard wooden tables adorned with monks of all shapes and sizes. Simple wooden plates were filled with equally simple yet beckoning food, and John was happy to accept the offer of warmth and sustenance from the strange monks.
After a night of holy eating and conversing, John was led down a long hallway to his guest room. Sleeping for a few hours, he was suddenly awoken by the strangest sound. It's hard to put into words, like your classic, crackling, 'background noise' interspersed with sounds of birds and rushing water. John warily got out of bed and sheepishly opened his door, wandering down the long hall towards the sound. John's curiosity was rewarded when he came upon a huge, gold leaf adorned maple door, intricate and ornate, covered with strange letters the likes he had never seen before. The sound was much louder now; he felt strangely relaxed as it made its way in one ear and out of the other. After finding no door knob, John found his curiosity somewhat satiated, for now, and made his way back to a rewarding sleep.
In the morning, when John was eating breakfast with the 'head monk' who had helped him the night before, he asked him about the door. The monk replied 'I am sorry, young one, but I cannot tell you what is behind that door. You are not a monk.'. Gesturing to the tables of monks, he followed with 'We are welcoming to all, you may become a monk and see for yourself'. John hastily replied that he had a family, and did not mind too much.
Happy to discover that the weather had cleared, and his car mysteriously fixed, John completed his trip, wondering about the strange door at first, but forgetting as he met with his family.
The next year, John was making the same trip, and at the *exact* same spot on the road as the last year, John broke down and a blizzard started whipping itself up. This time not hesitant, John stepped out of his car within a minute, and walked to where the monk had found him before. Lo and behold, the monk was standing in his spot. John made his way with his old friend to the tucked-away monastery, making friends with the new faces and once more going to bed, and slept. And again, he woke up after a few hours of disturbed sleep, to the other-worldly sound. Almost running down the corridor, he found himself before the mystical door, this time his entire body buzzing with spiritual energy. John made his way back to bed and slept once more.
In the morning, he asked the month just as he did last year, to *please* tell him what was behind the door. Rehearsed, the monk replied again 'I can't tell you, you're not a monk.'.
Two years later, expecting it this time, John parked just before the blizzard and jogged to meet the monk. Excitedly, he told the monk that he was ready to become a monk! 'Very Good,' the monk said 'You shall know what you desire.'.
Ceremoniously, the monk led our protagonist down the long hall, knocking out a delicate yet deliberate beat against the door. Eager, John awaited a response. Nothing. Oh wait? What's this? The door, after seemingly eternity, finally started to creak open. Golden light shone out for a second, blinding John, and suddenly, as the light faded, he was exposed to what was beyond the door. Something so wondrous, people would kill to see it. Now, dear reader, would you like to see what John saw beyond the door?

[I can't tell you, you're not a monk.](#s)