Every year, once or twice, I would visit Mount Athos to breathe its air and listen to its voice. I was very little or not interested at all in the immense cultural treasures of the Mountain. What interested me most was its people, or better, the unseen side of the Mountain.

Some hidden elders who impress you with their simplicity and kindness, their craziness and authenticity, their nobility and roughness, their freedom and narrow-mindedness. I especially enjoyed and sought to hear the stories of the Athonite elders, especially the older ones. I liked the way they told their stories, even if they had some naivety or rather childlike innocence. After all, "for such is the kingdom of heaven..."

So let this notebook-diary be a fair tribute to "Kleineon Oros" (the Quiet Mountain) and a heartfelt gratitude to the Athonite fathers we met and who supported us through the difficult years of youth and beyond.