November 30, 2005

The cold winds of December arrived early this year.  Seems like they're always arriving early.  In order to stay hidden from the gusts of frozen air that raced to find my unprotected face, I detoured my usual morning walk into the abandoned section of the asylum.  This is the asylum that the world has been aware of for over a century, mostly forgotten, hiding the true asylum behind its walls.

The dark hallways are cold and too quiet, an eerie reminder that the place was deserted long ago.

I have not walked within these rooms in almost a year.  They have changed.  A little more deterioration.  A lot more vandalism.  I can understand the attraction of an abandoned asylum, especially among the imaginative young adolescents, but why the blatant destruction?  Wouldn't the curious explorer's journey be more rewarding if the rooms and remaining furniture were preserved?

Safety is another issue.  The walls that now have gaping holes due to the shameful efforts of some young man proving his testosterone level are dangerous to be near.  The structural integrity of the building has been compromised.

Graffiti is everywhere.  Is Mark really proving his love to Barb by spray painting this fact on a wall?  I'd advise Mark to divert his efforts to more sacrificing options.  And when I read, "Gary is gay," the one thing that you can be sure of is that Gary is not gay.  A beautiful piece of history has now been ruined for the sake of a teasing joke.

There exists an unwritten promise not to tear down the abandoned asylum in order to maintain a façade for the real and still functioning asylum.  Which means this treasure needs to be preserved.  The architecture is breathtaking.  In recent times, buildings have become nothing more than minimalist steel and glass boxes.  The asylum was built when architecture was art.

Forgive my lecture, but please, anytime you travelers come across an old building, regardless of size or history, think about its rarity.  You are in the presence of a past that should be appreciated, not torn apart.  Instead of kicking down doors and breaking windows, pick up the beer bottles and clean the walls.  I promise you that you, and all those that come after you, will feel better about it.

Remember - power is in construction, not destruction.