in memoriam

Back in July I was able to visit the 9/11 Memorial with a group of friends from church. I'd already been to the site twice before, but this was my first time going without my children. The experience was vastly different; instead of trying to coax reverence out of cranky little boys or keep them from throwing the mementos of loved ones into the fountains, I was able to focus my thoughts on the significance of that place and the events that took place there. For a place where tragedy of such magnitude occurred, the experience was remarkably pleasant. It is a beautiful memorial, designed with love and built with care.

A few weeks later, while returning home from dinner at Delmonico's, my friend, Yeenor, recounted the story of her experiences that day. She was inside the first tower when the plane struck and, despite the pandemonium, managed to get out shortly before it came crumbling down. I listened, rapt, as her tale unraveled with the intensity of those buildings as they fell. She spoke casually, which surprised me, since that day for her was clearly anything but casual.

Eleven years have now passed, and while for so many the widening years will not lessen the crater 9/11 has created in their lives, I sense that individuals and the nation as a whole are beginning to heal. For the first time since we came to New York, this day felt to me almost like any other, busy and full of purpose. We of course will never forget, but it's nice to see evidence that where time once stood still, it's starting to move forward.