12 years

Just as I'll never forget where I was when I watched the planes hit the towers (first hour art class with Mr. Hopkins, 10th grade), I'll never forget my first visit to Ground Zero. I approached the site with my classmates during an off-campus study program to New York City in 2007. It was our first full day in the city, and as we approached Ground Zero from Battery Park, the feel in the air was palpable. There's a sense of reverence at Ground Zero, and even with the New York white noise of car horns, sirens, and millions of rushing people that seems to hover in the space above, you just stop and stay still for a minute. I visited when the clean-up was still in progress in the giant footprints of where the towers were; there wasn't a clearly defined footprint or elegant place to reflect like there is now (according to photos I've seen). But, it was a powerful image of recovery and rebuilding. Large photos from the day circled the viewing area near where the PACE station had been; behind it and across the street, the little cathedral stood as a makeshift memorial. It held not just religious services, but around the perimeter of the chapel and narthex, left-behind memorials of plastic flowers and pieces of cloth with names written on them. Lots of "Missing" photos and signs, as well. I remember being especially touched by the incredible displays from other countries. It's trite to say, but no matter where you were - New Yorker or not - you were affected by this incredibly deeply. And you've been to New York since then, you'll agree that there is an intense resilience of the human spirit rising from the city.