I went to Ground Zero in the Spring of 2002 and it was very very difficult for me. Last spring, we had a meeting at the Marriott Financial Center, so I spent 3 or 4 days and nights literally a block from there. I was amazed at the positive changes, the train station, the way places have been rebuilt or are in the process.
I did go see the sphere or orb. When I stayed at the Marriott World Trade Center in November 2000, my view was the sphere. So it was really interesting to go see it and the way it survived.
I realize I'm not a New Yorker, so the meaning may be different for me, but spending a number of days at ground zero and really focusing on how things are coming back to life and thinking about how amazing it is that even though there was such a tremendous loss, New York is so resilient and alive. It was actually uplifting. That may sound strange, but it always feels good to know that life goes on. The photo on my avatar is from that trip - when my friend Steve and I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and back before breakfast.