Marla says cruel things that she doesn’t mean. That’s how she deals with her painful life. Most of us do not understand that we might see each other only for a brief few times in a single lifetime and yet be eternal friends. Marla is drawn to your soul, Alexander. Your people have the most dazzling and vivid souls. Since Marla has always been so very close to that other world, where only soul exists, she is able to see and love your soul.
We sat in silence for some time. It is a very, very difficult thing to do -- to sit in silence. Our world is filled with sounds, and we've come to feel that we must fill any void we encounter with our voices, or the radio, or the TV; almost anything will do, as long as we're not burdened by deafening silence. But there is a special beauty, I was coming to see, a special peace in quiet that is beyond words or the trappings of this world. But, oh, it is so difficult not to speak!