I’ve learned that the forest’s hush is a double‑edged blade. It blocks noise, it masks footprints, it gives me a private world where I can tune out the chaos. But that same silence also makes me feel invisible, like a shadow that the world can slip past if it wants. So I use it as a shield, but I’m always on the lookout for the first crack that could let trouble in. In a way, it’s my way of keeping the world at bay while still being ready to cut through the quiet if needed.