6/15/12
It is difficult to explain what I felt when I saw the North Pool at the 9/11 Memorial. Like reflective poetry, it brought tears to my eyes. The way the water sparkled as it cascaded looked like thousands of souls descending into a calm lagoon where they then float into an eternal unknown. Where is that unknown? We cannot know for sure. However, we will remember them for eternity like the hollow names carved around the memorial, echoing in our ears. Michael Arad and Peter Walker, thank you for designing this beautiful memorial, formally called “Reflecting Absence.”
Around the area there’s still a lot of construction going on. About half of 1 WTC has been built.
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” That is the true American spirit as a whole.
Next up was the St. Paul’s Chapel where hundreds of volunteers cared for the injured after the attack. It is said that the church survived without even a broken window, saved by a sycamore that blocked debris. The root of that tree has been preserved in a memorial. Also the black fence around the church is where people left flowers, photos, and many other paraphernalia. The Bell of Hope is rung every year on this day. Stories like this, where people gather together to help each other not because they have to, but because they want to ease the pain of someone else makes me want to cry and believe in humanity again. If only we would live everyday as if there was a national crisis, where people would gather together and strangers are no longer strangers, but someone’s father, mother, daughter, son, etc.
Now on a lighter note, I was starving afterwards since I didn’t bring snacks with me. I stopped by Burger King and ordered myself a cool mocha frappe and small fries. Then I headed to the new Fulton subway station and rode to the City Hall. As I emerged from the somewhat scary looking station, I was surprised to find such a large and open area.
Then I walked to Chinatown (not knowing for sure if I was going the right way), but thankfully I managed to find Chatham Square. My feet was starting to hurt, but I really wanted to find this famous Chinese Ice Cream Factory where they sold exotic flavors. I think I wandered back and forth on both sides of the street for maybe 30-40 minutes before I finally found Mott street where it was located. It was pretty expensive (like gelato), so I just got the red bean flavor. Sadly, it tasted like regular vanilla. Disappointed and hot, I skipped my plan to eat dinner and headed home.
The Swinging Hammock 