The Times They Are a-Changin'

I was not quite a teenager when Bob Dylan wrote the song. And perhaps there is a bit of irony in that Dylan included "writers . . . who prophesize with their pen." among those who should anticipate the changes to come in the mid-late 60's.   And indeed, many of the changes made in politics and society in those days had a lasting and positive impact on my generation and those that followed.  In no way am I trying to equate a silly little blog with the life changing events during Dylan's most prolific writing period but, for me anyway, ending the blog represents a big change.

You may have been directed here by a Tweet which points out just one of the things that astounds me about the time in which we now live.  So much has changed.  You'll never hear me say that change is not for the better.  In all likelihood it is.  And although we've substituted printing for cursive, tweets for real writing, and sound bites for speeches, the message somehow gets out.

If you look at any of the blogs for the other sports at our school you'll see that the one out of step here has been . . . me.  I've resisted other forms of written communication because frankly, I dislike sound bites immensely and don't see how they convey any story in its entirety.  But the masses have spoken through their absence and if its Twitter and Instagram they want, then that's what they'll get.

As you'd expect, I'm ambivalent regarding this particular change, but I'm aware there are other means to communicate with you through Media used by the student-athletes, who have always been my target audience in this forum.  As for the writing part of it, I also have other endeavors which keep me busy at the keyboard.  But rather than continue to pursue them in an XC blog, Dylan's advice serves your old coach well . . .

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.