Silence is a deafening absence of sensation. I once knew an artist who created a chamber of silence, where no sound could penetrate. The result, I remember, was that everything - heartbeats, the rustle of your clothes, was amplified. We were used to this, moving in and out of eerie spaces that our bodies do not know how to orient towards. Noise cancelling headphones, necessary amidst the noise of the city, can be little bubbles that create separation and disorientation, at the same time as creating relief. It’s been a long time since I’ve used my brain this way, thinking about silence. Or thinking deeply about anything at all. But as my friend says, if you have a dream, you need to have steps to achieve it.