Having been born at the near end of the 2oth century, many details of the infamous attack on 9/11 escape my memory, my early childhood less affected by the actions that had taken place that day then the lasting impact it left on my family and life. This week, I have decided to dedicate my post to one of, if not the most, defining moments of New York City’s history and its identity as a society. Launched in the few years succeeding my birth is what is considered the “Age of Terrorism”, a period of time caught in the balance of a world disrupted by the threat of a radical and terrifying power, every New Yorker processing the rules of a new war they did not understand, desperately searching for a safety net in the darkness of our cities grimmest era. My personal connection to 9/11 sits with my father, a first responder to the catastrophic events, and survivor of the aftermath. No memory of mine exists recounting the weight of that day, however, the story of how and where it touched the lives of my loved ones sits in me like a storybook from childhood. Gaps in the story I didn’t understand were illustrated with darkness and confusion, my imagination unable to conjure an image to depict the horror of this story. My father recounts that day with more confusion than anything else, describing 9/11 as scratch across the surface of New York’s beauty, rendering a city he worked in for over 20 years permanently scarred, and unrecognizable.
Sitting in the place of this tragedy is a structure unprecedented in its design and purpose. Constructed as a token of memory to the events of September 11th, the uniquely designed and innovative architectural marvel, the Oculus, is nestled proudly at the sight of new York’s most horrific memory. Resurrected in memory of those lost, it serves as more than a tribute, but a symbol of the spirit of our city, an epicenter for movement, change, conflict, and resiliency. Its roof always open to the sunlight above, its ultimate vision is to mimic the boundless span of a white doves wings, outstretched to the sky above. This structure is one of the few in New York I feel both a personal connection too and hold in my heart as a memory of something that represents my life. Designed and executed in my lifetime, this site will always be one I remember being built, opening, and truly representing the resiliency of a city we all must grow, suffer, and live in every day. I’m proud to have lived through, and still live in, the age of terror, having come out the other side someone who understands fear, appreciates safety, and most importantly, is a proud New Yorker.
