I was able to spend a few days in lower Manhattan this week, attending and co-presenting at The Conference Board's Senior HR Executive Conference, which was held in lower Manhattan, extremely close to Ground Zero, the site of the fallen World Trade Center towers, and now, the recently opened 9/11 Memorial site. When I realized the proximity of the event to the Memorial, I made plans to visit on Tuesday evening, after the conference activities were complete for the day.
View of South reflecting pool
The Memorial is as expected - sad, striking, contemplative; and in my view, a must-visit for anyone making a trip to New York City. The Memorial does require a reservation and a ticket to attend, (they are free), and there is a visible and attentive police and security presence throughout. Which makes perfect sense as when touring the Memorial grounds one gets the sense that the uniformed staff were guarding and protecting their own.
I had previously written about one of the heroes of 9/11, FDNY Firefighter Thomas J. Hetzel, as a part of a blog tribute called Project 2,996. And while I did not personally know any of the heroes and victims of September 11, 2001, Firefighter Hetzel for me, has become almost the face of the tragedy. Brave, selfless, a true hero. And taken from his family and friends far too soon. At the site I located Firefighter Hetzel's name inscribed on the Memorial, almost as if searching for the name of a friend. While I never knew him, I think he represents well the idea that the brave souls lost that day are still a part of all of us, and their loss and sacrifices should never be forgotten.
While the 9/11 Memorial forces us to look back and to reflect, there are obvious and apparent signs that allow us to look forward as well. The sounds and machinery of new construction fills the space, and the rising Freedom Tower looms large and spectacular over the scene. When the final touches are placed on the new Tower, and on all the other projects in the space, they, combined with the Memorial will be even a more fantastic and meaningful site.;)
Freedom Tower - click image for a larger view
Whether or not the process and debate as to what to do with the former World Trade Center site took far too long or was too political, does not not seem to matter much when you look down and see the Memorial or you look up and see the gleaming towers rise to the sky.
I hope everyone that gets a chance to visit New York City in the coming days and months does take the time to head down to lower Manhattan and see the Memorial for themselves, and to pause and reflect on sacrifice, bravery, loss, and rebirth.
Have a great weekend!