The National Earthquake Memorial

The earthquake memorial is a few minutes walk from work and I visited it at lunchtime today with a colleague. I wasn't sure how I'd feel.

Positives
- It's surprisingly quiet tucked down beside the Avon River
- The curve is lovely
- Reading the names of those who died is moving
- Tracing my friend's name with my fingers was impacting
- The seating facing towards the wall or the river feels right
- There is a reverence

Negatives
- I could be anywhere in the world
- The wall is marble, it's not from my country
- The trees aren't natives. My country is prone to buck and rock yet we remember it with imported stone and exotic species

It has it's place but the 185 empty chairs, one for each person killed, resonates more for me.

Today's gratitude: For enjoying Monday.