9/11

It seems like forever ago but yet everyone has that one memory. Generations back it was where you were when Pearl Harbor was attacked?; when we landed on the moon?; when JFK was shot? For this generation the question is: where were you when the towers fell? For me I was cutting class to go to the diner with an old friend. When the plane heading over Pennsylvania went missing the radio stations were making everyone in Philadelphia paranoid that we were next, so we rushed home where I spent a good part of my day consoling my elderly Jewish neighbor who was certain that they were coming to "kill all the Jews again." She passed away recently, and, honestly, that was probably the only day I ever saw her break down emotionally like that.

A few years back I visited New York for the first time since the year 2000. We had a trip planned to see Jerry Lee Lewis and decided to wander around Manhattan and Tribeca for the day (bar hopping mostly). They were almost half way through building the new tower at that point so, like any tourist, we had to stop for a few solemn moments just to take it all in. Maybe it was all of the hustle with the construction going on, but it wasn't as eerie as I had anticipated.


We haven't made it back to NYC since, although a trip is hopeful for the near future. We did, however, recently ride up towards Newtown (think the place they filmed Signs) and swung through Yardley where there is a substantial 9/11 memorial called the "Garden of Reflection". You never think that so many people outside of New York City were present and/or affected by the tragedies that took place that day. The majority of the local names etched into the glass at the memorial were employees in the towers or medics/firemen/police present that day. In addition, many were on one of the four planes that went down that day.

The memorial has an amazing twin fountain (symbolic of the towers) that lights up the park at night, a plaque solely with the victims' names who resided in Bucks County, a remembrance walk all 2793 names on a glass panel, and an actual piece of the rubble from WTC that is covered in trinkets hung by families of the victims. We didn't get to spend much time and were told that the park is more awe-inspiring come the night time when the fountain lights up and the tiny luminaries (representing the children who lost a parent) come to life.

For anyone interested in visiting the memorial, it is a short trip from Center City Philadelphia via I-95. It is not too far from Tyler State Park and there are always events going on in Newtown and Yardley that are worth the trip.