Innocence Lost

I feel as though I have lost some sort of innocence after completing these readings.  Though I suppose that is the nature of education, for some reason this feels different.  I spent the summers of my childhood in the Adirondacks and it has always held a magical quality in my mind.  I have always been in awe of its pure beauty, so to learn of its former violation is upsetting.  Of course this is to be expected though, as it is the pattern of human intervention.  Nature in and of itself did not warrant the respect it now does when the settlers arrived because it existed in such abundance.  It is truly amazing to think of the magnitude of the impact that the loggers had on the forests when all they had so little machinery.  The man-hours involved in the removal of the forests are truly impressive.  Although what they did to the forest is unfortunate, their work ethic and doggedness especially considering the conditions is quite impressive.  They may not have had the best interest of the Park’s future in mind, but the settlers who made the Park their home were certainly men and women to be admired.  Though some of my youthful ignorance may have faded with these readings, I am certainly learning to appreciate the park on a much deeper level, both in its power to heal itself and the sacrifices that were made so that I am able to enjoy it today.