A Dreary Day at Ground Zero

A Dreary Day at Ground Zero

I walked down to the World Trade Center site early this morning before work, which I usually do on September 11 if I’m not traveling.  It was raining and still dark out at the time, which made the scene a little more dreary and rushed (no one stopping as long to reflect) than usual.  But something felt different this year that went beyond the weather.

Obviously for those who lost friends or family six years ago, the day will always be one of mourning and memory, but for everyone else, though the day is still quite solemn, the vibe and focus seem to be more focused on “next steps” than in past years.  Between thinking about supplemental care and financial aid for first responders who are now ill, finally seeing the dismantling of the Deutsche Bank building (however challenging that process is) and seeing some real signs of new construction at Ground Zero, it feels like things are starting to move forward in the area.

Can you imagine what things would be like if the various insurance and government and corporate entities hadn’t been squabbling for the past six years about the site and we actually had the skeleton of the Freedom Tower already raised?