My never ending path

On the path I took today there are several wooden bridges separated by about a mile or more. I stopped at the first one I came to and watched the water flowing beneath it, left there by the recent rain. I watched it as it dwindled and ended in muddy puddles of bracken and weeds. Between the walking paths were acres of pastureland and long neglected corn fields, shrubbery, and nettle. The other bridges were several miles beyond the first, but clearly visible. the area was surrounded by a forest of tall trees and seemed to be a world in itself. And yet, toward dusk, I could see blinking lights through the trees. I knew what they were. A hospital was being built about five miles away as the crow flies. I could only imagine the silence of the night of the night interrupted by ambulances in the near future. Would the sudden, unfamiliar intrusion drive the birds and animals away? What about the humans who would benefit by the new technology? What would be gained? And yet, who can determine how much would be lost?