Paid My Respects to the 9/11 Memorial in New York
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118365)
Gainesville, Florida
June 1, 2016 9:01pm CST
When I was in New York this past weekend, I made one unscheduled deviation from my vacation plans, and that was to hop on the subway and head to downtown Manhattan to visit the memorial at the original World Trade Center site. It was very emotional to stand next to, and view, the two infinite wading pools that were created on the footprint of the original two towers. The names of all the identified victims of 9/11 were engraved on wall that surrounds each of the reflection pools, which made the visit even more emotional. I also noticed that--despite the hustle and bustle of New York City, once on the grounds of the memorial there was an unusual sense of peace, quite and awe among all the visitors. People of all nationalities, races, religions, creeds, etc. stood side by side at the memorial reflecting on the events of that tragic day 15 years ago. I will admit, my eyes teared up a bit.
Have you ever been to the memorial at the site of the original World Trade Center?
10 people like this
9 responses
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
2 Jun 16
You gave me goosebumps. I would love to see it. I haven't been to the city since before 9/11. Thanks for telling us how it made you feel. I look forward to seeing it for myself.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate It's been over 20 years since I've been in the Big Apple during Christmastime. I would love to go back there during Christmas with my kids to show them the city during the holidays. It's quite beautiful!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
3 Jun 16
@moffittjc It was a treat my mother loved to give us, the windows and all decorations were fantastic. It was awesome!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
2 Jun 16
@moffittjc I certainly will. I grew up in Schenectady and my mom would take me on the train to see the Christmas Decorations. I might have to do that again and spend time at the memorial too.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (457320)
• Switzerland
3 Jun 16
@moffittjc This is what happens to the major cities, constructions everywhere.
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@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jun 16
I used to spend a lot of time in New York City, probably hundreds of times, before 9/11 happened. After the terrorist attacks, I hadn't been back since, until just this past week. So much has changed in New York since the last time I was there. What really fascinated me was the huge building boom that is going on in the city. I didn't count, but I'm willing to bet there were 1000 new buildings being constructed all over the city. There were cranes and construction crews and building going on at just about every segment of the city I visited. NY is basically transforming right before our very eyes!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 16
@LadyDuck The constant construction is one of the things that amazes me about the big cities, in that every time you go back to visit, the skyline has changed again! It's really neat to see the change and progress happen right before your eyes!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Jun 16
I think if you get the chance, you should really pay a visit. It is such a humbling experience, and really makes you stop and think about how precious life is. One of the things that impressed me about my visit was that, standing there shoulder to shoulder with the thousands of other people paying their respects, there were no Jews, Christians, Muslims, blacks or whites at that moment. Standing there looking at the reflecting pools, we were all just fellow human beings honoring the victims and the heroes from that tragic day.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
2 Jun 16
@moffittjc We are always just human beings. I wish more people understood this.
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@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jun 16
@ElizabethWallace I try to treat every human the same, although every single one of us does have some biases and prejudices, even if we don't admit it. I try not to let politics, religion, race or ethnicity stand in the way of me treating everyone with respect and dignity. I wish more people would follow suit, I'm sure it would cut down on the hatred and killing and violence we see happening all over the world.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29233)
• Eugene, Oregon
2 Jun 16
I have not, but my wife got a tour of the 102nd floor the week before the museum opened. She worked as a recruiter from home here in Eugene for the construction supervision company that over saw the rebuild. She had never met anyone she worked with until she got to go back and get the tour. Her name is on the inner wall of the 102nd floor, inscribed by herself
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 16
That's pretty cool! Not many people will ever be able to claim that their name is inscribed inside the walls of the World Trade Center!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 16
@JamesHxstatic I didn't go up in the tower, which is one thing I wish I would have done. Is the 102nd floor the top floor? Or what floor is the observatory on? I know they put an observatory on the top of the tower, just wasn't sure how high up it is.
@JamesHxstatic (29233)
• Eugene, Oregon
4 Jun 16
@moffittjc Yes, it was quite an opportunity for her (in hard hat even).
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@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
2 Jun 16
No. I don't go to such places as a rule. I don't need reminders, and they make me far to melancholy. I did take kids to the huge grave yard in Normandy on the 45 anniversary of the D-Day invasion. It was very powerful.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
4 Jun 16
@moffittjc It looked like several acres of green lawns and white marble crosses and stars of David.
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@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Jun 16
It's one of those days that will be engrained in the memories of an entire generation, similar to Pearl Harbor Day or D-Day in WWII, or when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in the late 60's. A day like that is never forgotten.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79571)
• United States
3 Jun 16
I lived in NY when the towers went down on 9/11 and have watched them rebuild on that site. It's amazing how serene it can be when visiting the memorial while the rest of the city is loud and noisy. It's nice that you made a trip there while on your vacation....hope you enjoyed NY 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 16
I absolutely LOVE New York City!!! I have been many, many times over the years. I could totally see myself moving there someday! I had the best time on vacation this past week. I have been back for two days, and I already want to go back! lol
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 16
It was nice to see that people of all nationalities were being very respectful during their visit to the memorial.
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
2 Jun 16
No, but I have visited a memorial in the Czech Republic which stands in place of an entire village that was wiped out, and then razed to the ground, by the Germans during WWII. Anything like that is incredibly powerful and sad.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jun 16
I visited several sites in Poland years ago where unspeakable atrocities took place during WWII, including visiting a concentration camp. I literally broke down and cried. It's hard to believe that human beings can perform such bad things on other human beings.
