In some mysterious way, the 9/11 Memorial removes you from the realization that you're in the middle of the frenzy (and currently occupied) Financial District. Even with fellow visitors talking around you, the chatter is somehow blocked and you hear nothing but the whistles of wind blowing through the leaves and the falling, man-made waterfalls within the two pools. These monuments overcast the actual site of the former Twin Towers, and the waterfall descends beyond subway grounds. Engraved along the edge of the pools are the names of every single person killed during 9/11 (not just NYC, but Flight 93 and D.C.) and the Ground Zero bombing. While that may not sound like much, these engravings are much more grand when they meet the eye; you can almost clutch onto these names.
I lost count of the amount of times this guy, in particular, grazed his hands against the carvings of a female name. Perhaps taking a break from work, abandoning his carrier for just this moment, he made time stand still for just this moment - his personal moment of silence. You can tell from the photo above that any visitor will find it difficult to be disturbed during their moment of silence and meditation. It's easy to escape from the city beat here, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see people treat this like a sanctuary once they get through the rigid entrance security process.
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