From the Road: Oklahoma City

At the moment, I'm busy touring through Oklahoma City hotels, health clubs, pools, run routes and the like for my fellow athletic-minded travelers. But, I had to take time out to visit the Oklahoma City Memorial for the first time.

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With 9/11 constantly in the headlines, this unfathomable tragedy has lost significance and recognition in our country's eyes, hearts and minds. Visiting the OKC Memorial is an incredibly moving experience and one that should go on the teenager travel-list for all parents.

New Yorkers arguing over the complexities and dramatic features of the planned Ground Zero Memorial should look to their sister-city for guidance. The simple, yet creative and thoughtful OKC Memorial perfectly portrays the gravity of the tradgedy and magnitude of the loss.

Solid black marble walls function almost like stage-curtains to the expression of sadness inside (the Jesus statute is a separate memorial for the destructed church across the street - the bomb shook ground more than 50 miles away).

168 bronze chairs are lined along the lawn representing all who died in the tragedy. 19 smaller-sized chairs ("baby chairs") represent the children who died (the bomb filled rental truck was parked outside the building's day care center).

A black shallow pool filled with a few inches of water passionately conveys a sense of darkness.

Don't forget to remember Oklahoma City - the families who lost loved ones and all locals, for that matter, certainly have not.