Refusing To Pass The Torch Can Cause A Big Burn

Jesse Jackson wished he could turn Barack Obama into a eunuch - show him who the real alpha male was. Oops. Obama's immediate "of course I accept his apology" made it even worse as Jackson ran around to every news show available to try to keep himself relevant even as his own son threw him under the bus (that seems to be happening a lot lately).

It's a modern tale of leaders failing to give way gracefully to new leadership. It's holding onto old ideas that don't work in today's world. It's resentment over the ease in which a new charismatic leader might become far more than an icon.

It's easy to fall into that trap. The business owner who won't turn the company over to the next generation. The older athlete who dopes up to stay competitive. The child actor who becomes a tabloid story.

Passing the torch can be painful especially when you refuse to do it. So the next time you hear yourself saying "No" or "We have always done that" or "There isn't anyone qualified enough" or "I want to cut...off" look at your hands and make sure they aren't getting scorched.