Time Can Be Cruel

Little more than four years ago, he was the "it" guy.

The "voice" of a network.

Aaron Brown (search). Smart. Irreverent. Funny.

I liked him. I liked him a lot.

Some thought him odd. I guess that's what I enjoyed.

No matter. Aaron's gone.

Dumped by the very network that rallied around his banner right after September 11.

"Then," he could do no wrong.

"Now," well I just think he has been wronged.

Look, I'm not here to judge other news networks. Only to marvel about this thing over which I obsess — time.

How it changes. How it realigns. How it builds up. Then knocks down.

My dad used to say, "Remember the people you bump into on the way up because you'll see them on the way down."

It was a constant reminder, as if I needed it, about the fragility of life and its rewards.

They are given.

They are taken.

Like an old CEO friend of mine who lamented some years back his time in the saddle, when everyone followed him. Everyone idolized him.

And now few even remember him.

Time can be cruel.

Its adjustments crueler still.

In my business, I've seen greats come and go, fortunes won and fortunes lost.

Such is time.

Such is life.

Great jobs are nice.

Assuming they're your birthright is risky.

Aaron Brown is no less the brilliant journalist he was 24 hours ago.

He moves on. We move on. Life moves on.

Until the next "it" guy isn't.

And the next unknown guy is.

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