That's what makes the beams, called "Tribute in Light," so appealing: By virtue of the tribute's silence, constancy and anonymity - indeed, its near-mystery - it is a 9/11 memorial that can symbolize anything a viewer cares to impute.
What is fitting and right is a memorial that can take its place among those commemorating the other great conflicts of the past century.
The sculpture is a rallying point for those that fell they've been forgotten and let down, everyone has their own memorials that they can go to and I think it's a nice thing just to have somewhere where people can look at it, read about it and appreciate it.
Facebook currently makes people's accounts into memorial pages that can be moderated by a loved one that they designate as their "legacy contact" before they pass away, but it's messy to give that control to someone, even a family member, if the deceased didn't make the choice.
A development plan marked by public participation, cooperative problem-solving, ingenuity and social responsibility is the best memorial that we can build.
The ceremonies in New York included a reading of the victims' names and a minimum of speeches, next to a memorial that one can, finally, begin to think of as a true part of the city; after dark, there was also the Tribute in Light, two towers projected in the sky.
On Friday a royal visitor will arrive to take part in a service at the cemetery, with its rows of bright white memorials to the children that can be seen from miles away, and plant a tree in the memorial garden.
Evidence also suggests that military rituals and memorials that honor the dead can help salve grief.
Astounding photos of difficult, emotional events become memorials from a world that can be safely left behind.Even Mr Salgado, who was trained as an economist, describes mankind's struggles as "an endless story".
