A couple weeks ago I wrote about preparing to take the baby to New York. We managed to see a lot of Manhattan during our 3-day visit, including most of 5th Ave., a decent chunk of Central Park, the Union Square Market, and the wonderful Strand Bookstore. We also saw the mid-restoration Guggenheim, which was a bit of a let down. Much of the permanent collection was not on display, unfortunately.

On our final morning in the city we made the trek from Midtown, where our hotel was, down 6th Ave. and Broadway through Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and Tribeca to Ground Zero.

When we arrived we weren’t sure that what we were looking at was actually Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center. First we saw the PATH terminal and a fence. We couldn’t see the site itself until we walked across a footbridge that overlooked it.

All I saw was a very large construction site.

Visiting Ground Zero was one of the few objectives I had for the trip. I thought it important to see the place where so many innocent lives were lost. I expected some sort of emotional response when I looked down into the hole in the ground.

But I didn’t feel anything. Nothing about the site evoked an ounce of sadness or awe or anger in me.

Maybe that’s because I never saw the towers in real life. I’d only seen them in movies or on TV. TV is also where I saw them fall. Even now, seeing video of the attacks brings tears to my eyes.

And then there’s a story that resonates with me as a Navy spouse, the story of the USS New York. Many of you have probably received this e-mail about the ship.

I think the reason I have a stronger emotional response to the story of the USS New York than to Ground Zero is that the ship symbolizes American resolve. When I saw Ground Zero, my unspoken thoughts were, ‘Why is there no new building here? Where is the memorial? It’s been 7 years.’ In many ways, the New York is the answer to both those questions.

I just hope what they eventually build there captures the American spirit just as well.