How Can You Smile?

We went to ground zero. The 9-11 memorial.World Trade Center. Whatever you call it, it is a sobering experience. At least it should be - which is why I couldn't understand the people who were posing for photos with big smiles on their faces. Do they not know what happened there? Do they think there are two gigantic holes in the ground because someone had a cool idea for some fountains?

When we visited the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, Mark took my photo outside the door - but I wasn't smiling. It didn't seem appropriate. Perhaps if Anne Frank's story had a happy ending it would be different but when you think of the horror of what ultimately happened there, why on earth would you smile?

I'm a big fan of selfies. Mark and I take them all the time. There are plenty of places in NYC to take smiling selfies. Times Square comes to mind. The Statue of Liberty. Central Park. All kinds of places -  but not the World Trade Center Memorial.

But then I suppose there are people who would be grinning outside Auschwitz.