I wasn't planning to visit the 9/11 Memorial, it just happened. I've been to the Ground Zero site a few times through the years, and no matter when I visit, I still feel that ache in my stomach imagining the horror of being one of those lost. We were walking through SoHo when Devin asked if we would be interested in trying to get tickets. Cell phones make all kinds of possibilities happen on the spot, this one included. So, we walked downtown and arrived timely to retrieve our tickets and all of a sudden, we were there. This visit was very different in that everything looked very different. The demolition is over, the clean-up is over, the planning is over, the building is in full swing. It purposely memorializes the spots where the two towers stood by not building upward, but by using two water exhibits that flow downward. Around each one is a wall with all the names of those lost, each perfectly spaced and very legible. The new buildings are near, but in their "own" space. There is lots going on, but subtly. The crowd is reverent, there is no pushing or loudness. The Visitor Center is under construction and various landscaping is taking shape. I think the design successfully meshes the tragedy with hope. There is a collection box at the exit, I am hoping everyone who visits will give. It's the least we can do.
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