The vertical alignment of steel beams in the Napa 9-11 memorial garden puts visitors in a position of craning their necks upwards to look, creating a sense of witnessing the event. Subtle aesthetic or wording decisions in memorials can influence the way people think about an event and can impact how a country heals or responds to it. The inscription at the memorial excluding the attackers and their sympathizers prompts a thoughtful reflection on the inclusivity of such commemorations. The close reading required to create a memorial highlights the complexity of concepts like grief, memory, and commemoration, which may seem straightforward until carefully considered.