The end of an era!

There's a concept called "passing of the torch." It's meant to be a picture of an Olympic runner taking the torch and giving it to the next generation of champion. It's a great visual, and I think we can all relate. Fathers and mothers do this as they teach and groom their children, master craftsmen do it as they instruct apprentices, and every area of life we see this going on all the time. It's the constant cycle of rebirth and renewal. Without it, things become stale and die away. Passing on becomes another symbol for life, despite the reality of death.

Maybe it's because I'm older, but I really enjoy stories that show this transition. Take a mighty hero, like the Flash (my personal favorite), and show them fading away as their successor takes over and builds on the legacy. Such stories are powerful, especially because we glimpse the growth of a new hero. It's like watching new stars come into being in real life (entertainment and sports are particularly easy to spot bright new stars). There is a special magic about these stories--so much so that we get excited about even being in the same room as such people.

The fun part is the realization that the end of an era isn't anything to be upset about. What it means is that new greatness is coming into being and we get the joy of watching it bloom! I get a thrill out of realizing I'm witnessing a torch being passed, and I find myself on the edge of my seat as I watch it all unfold. It's one of the greatest kinds of sport, and I'll never tire of it.

- M