You may have recently noticed that flags on city buildings were flying at full staff. Joplin Mayor Mike Woolston ordered the flags to half-staff on May 27 in recognition of those who had lost their lives to the May 22 tornado.
Now, a month later, he has ordered that the flags fly high again.
We will forever remember those we lost. But there is a time for mourning, and a time to move on to take care of the living.
The Joplin area has reached that point in its grief. What remains critical is that we honor those 158 people who died by going forward in a way that is respectful to their families and friends.
That means making decisions that benefit our community and its residents for years into the future.
Sometimes it may even mean making unpopular decisions and standing by them. But, no one ever said this was going to be easy.
Our hearts and support continue to go out to those who lost loved ones to this horrible storm.
Raising the flag means we are ready now to take up the fight ahead of us, knowing that the victories in the aftermath of the tornado at best will be bittersweet.