The flags still wave, though the crowd has gone home.
In the quiet of the day after Memorial Day, life in Fenton slows again – the charcoal’s gone cold, the folding chairs are packed up, and the echo of drums from yesterday’s parade has faded into memory.
It was a special Monday. Kids chased candy tossed from floats on Leroy Street. Veterans, some stoic, some smiling, marched beneath a canopy of red, white and blue. Families lined the sidewalks – clapping, waving, remembering.
And then, just like that, it was over.
But remembrance shouldn’t vanish with the sound of the marching band.
Memorial Day is more than a long weekend or the unofficial start of summer. It’s a pause – a necessary one – to honor those who gave their lives in service to a country still learning how to live up to their sacrifice. The names etched into stone at Oakwood Cemetery, the flags planted with precision by volunteers, the salutes held just a second longer – they all remind us that the cost of freedom is never paid in full.
In Greater Flint, where resilience runs deep and community ties are strong, we understand sacrifice. We’ve seen generations answer the call to serve, and we’ve welcomed them home – sometimes to parades, sometimes to silence. And some never made it back at all.
Maybe the most meaningful thing we can do the day after is to keep asking: What do we owe them? Perhaps it’s more than just a moment of silence. Maybe it’s how we treat our neighbors, how we teach our kids, how we care for those still carrying the weight of war long after their service ends.
The parade may be over, but the remembering part … that’s up to us.
Honoring Murph
Are You Up to The Challenge?
The “Murph” is a CrossFit Hero WOD (Memorial Day Workout), performed to honor Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan, and to pay tribute to all those who have served in the military and all fallen service members.
The challenging workout consists of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and another one-mile run, often done while wearing a weighted vest.
The Murph Challenge is often organized by CrossFit gyms, veterans’ organizations and other community groups, and can be found at various locations across the globe, including ten facilities in Michigan (at the time of this writing). You can participate locally at:
Crossfit Tuebor | 2084 W. Thompson Rd., Fenton Twp., MI
Healthfully Done | 1121 N. Saginaw St. Suite 3, Holly, MI
