Frank Bruni wrote an op ed piece a few years ago for The New York Times on the need for solitude, even for politicians—what a stunning idea.

I recently attended a writers’ conference in a woodsy retreat center. Established writers flock to it because it gives them time to wander in the woods or find a quiet spot to think. One afternoon is defiantly unstructured, allowing time for the inner life. This unstructured time emphasizes solitude as essential for any meaningful outer life, whether we write, lead the country, or use other talents.

What if all of us, yes, including politicians, practiced it once in a while? What if elected officials and political candidates regularly withdrew to explore honest leadership? To dedicate themselves to less divisive, more meaningful campaign rhetoric? To explore what is meant by our term public servants?