Sound

Sound, like most of our senses, is truly diverse. For those of us lucky enough to experience sound with all its fidelity couldn’t imagine a world without it.

But what if we had to? Technology has given us the technology to block the “noise” from the world. Technology has also given some lucky people the ability to restore their hearing. But going deaf, being deaf — how would you fair?

I’ve never been deaf, not even temporarily. I have been left to my own devices and forced to hear the things I don’t always want to hear. I have tried to focus on how to hear, which is the important part of listening.

“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

Zen Buddhists have this simple koan which I’ve pondered for decades. For most, this is immediately a trick of some form. But the more it frustrates you and the more you ponder on it, the sooner you open your mind. With consideration, it becomes for you to drop the illusions you hold in the world.

The secret to sound is hearing, not listening. It’s something we all take for granted.