Nolan Trail and Lake Maury

As we all stood around the connection between Lake Maury and the James River, trying to memorize every detail of the nature surrounding us, I could only think of one thing. I needed to get into that water. While the class observed fish, birds, and fallen trees, I had already mapped out the fastest path to the water. I missed swimming, and the sight of the open water was tempting. I was reminded of the story in the begining of chapter 8 of "Landscapes of the Sacred." The first time I read it, I was left a little confused, and I wasn't sure how this grotto became so revered. If there was nothing particularly special about this copy of a fountain, why was it viewed almost as a holy site. This thought led me to a section on page 218 that says "Our attachment to any place arises from what we experienced there and, subsequently, from what we retain of it in our memories."
What sticks out most in my memory from the walk was not something I payed much attention to after it happened. I had walked ahead of the group in order to catch up to Owen, and I found him sitting on a bench. The bench faced an opening where one could see through to the lake. I stood there for a moment taking in the view. I saw how the lake branched out and seemed to sheer through the landscape of the forest. The trees were standing right on the edge of the shore, and it looked bizarrely similar to a place I knew back home. I had spent most of the time trying to memorize details for my journal, but that was the only time I was stopped by what I saw. Despite all that memorization, this image is what remians with me most clearly.

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