I wasn’t going to write about 9/11. For a small-business blog, it just seemed tacky or exploitative.

But on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, my neighborhood was awash in firefighters in full dress uniform. I live around the corner from the 1927 Firemen’s Memorial, and firefighters from the around the world had come to pay their respects.

Early this morning, I went out to snap some pictures, read the tributes, and meditate on bravery and sacrifice.

I’m still not going to write about 9/11, but I hope these photos are worth 1,000 words … 1,000 thank-yous, to be precise.