I found it morbid that so many people wanted to see Ground Zero when it was literally a grave.
On September 11th, I was home with my two month old baby. I went to two memorial services in the months that followed 9/11 as two of my friends lost their husbands. We were already thinking of moving away from Long Island, but after 9/11, we sped that process up. I loved visiting New York City, but after 9/11 I found it morbid that so many people wanted to see Ground Zero when it was literally a grave. 9/11 changed my life. I would not settle for being unhappy. We moved to Vermont and got divorced. I am now happily remarried. I prefer to enjoy the bucolic loveliness of Vermont's woods and lakes and rivers - despite the struggle economically - to being 50 miles from New York City. People should remember that many lives were lost. That they were people who loved their families and people who were loved by their families. Vermont is not that far from New York and we are all in this together. The togetherness and love that 9/11 brought in the time right after was priceless. My friends' husbands were J. Chris Cappers and Matthew Rogan. Both Chris and Matt were family men who left a giant void in the world. There were almost 3,000 voids like this created by 9/11.
Samantha Augustus
