Three things I usually do in New York City: Dine, shop and watch a Broadway show. To the romantics, a stop by Tiffany’s along Fifth Avenue or a stroll down Central Park by foot or rickshaw cab may be among them.

In a recent return trip to the bustling Big Apple last summer, I had my usual to-do-list, raring to cross out each one of them before my vacation ended.

When my friends and I set out for a bargain hunt in Lower Manhattan, we set our minds on our agenda and took the subway to Fulton Station.

Little did I know that our shopping escapade would turn out to be a day of remembrance of the loss, survival and heroism of September 11, 2001.

The bargain center sat next to Ground Zero, site of the gruesome terrorist attack at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. While the store was packed with tourists and locals hunting for bargains, the adjacent half of the 16-acre sprawling WTC complex was bustling with construction activities.

The WTC site is currently being rebuilt with six new skyscrapers, a memorial to the casualties of the attacks, a modern transportation system, and cultural and commercial spaces. City planners are reportedly eyeing to bring back a strong and vibrant community in Lower Manhattan.

After satisfying my shopping appetite, I waited for my friends outside and stared at the massive construction site behind the gray perimeter fence. I stood silent by the hallowed ground that was at the heart of New York’s tragedy eight years ago.

Although most of the viewing decks and memorials were gone, many people continued to gather along the perimeter to pay respects to the victims and catch a glimpse of the ongoing reconstruction.

I then found myself offering a prayer for the victims and heroes of the worst terrorist attack in US soil.

Overwhelmed by the enormity of the disaster, I remembered the men, women, and children lost in the attacks as well as the stricken survivors.

Much praise was also paid to those who risked their lives to save others as well as those who supported and volunteered in the aftermath.

I had not lost any friends or loved ones in the attacks, but somehow I felt a bond, solidarity in the loss, survival, and healing of 9/11.

Returning to Ground Zero also brought me back to the time I heard the news. With the East Coast time zone nearly opposite to Manila, I just arrived at home that night and turned on the television with news about the planes crashing into the WTC in New York City in the early morning.

Although the attack was thousands of miles away from home, I was shocked, angry and sad by the senseless death and destruction.

I realized that in all my visits to New York prior to the attacks, I’ve never actually visited the World Trade Center, never saw how massive and beautiful the complex of buildings were, or how many people worked in those skyscrapers.

Thinking that the WTC was just a huge office space, I preferred then the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and other tourist spots in the Big Apple. Silly me.

All I remember of the WTC was from the few pictures I took appreciating the New York skyline and some Hollywood movies I have seen. The last time I dropped by the WTC site, the towers were already razed to the ground and construction workers were removing the debris.

Years after the attack, the steel started to ascend from the pits of the World Trade Center. I can’t help but marvel at the power of the indefatigable human spirit coping with the heartbreak of 9/11.

The core of the One World Trade Center, initially called “Freedom Tower,” has now risen more than 100 above street level. The tower and mast on the southwest of the site are expected to reach an astounding 1776 feet into the sky.

The height of 1776 feet was reportedly chosen as a reference to the year of independence of the United States.

Standing from a building across Ground Zero, I also saw the steel skeleton of the proposed National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum taking shape, while excavation for a modern underground vehicle security center is in progress on Liberty Street.

The reconstruction of Lower Manhattan has been much touted as the city’s rebirth after hijacked planes crashed onto the twin towers on that fateful day of September. The rebuilding of WTC, despite battles over insurance, design and security, was a testament to the triumph of human dignity and commitment to value life.