The deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner seem to be hitting me unusually hard. [View all]

When I think of Rob Reiner, I think of his role as Michael Stivic, rather than as an incredible movie director/producer. I certainly recognize and appreciate his incredible accomplishments in the film industry, but my first and most endearing thoughts of Mr. Reiner relate to his role of Michael Stivic.

Like many people my age, I was glued to the television every week to watch All in the Family. I loved that show. Even at that young age, I recognized the show for what it was...a satirical look at the polar opposite mindsets of a lovable but bigoted man (Archie Bunker), and his progressive, peace loving, anti-war son-in-law, Michael Stivic.

Reiner's character in All in the Family was not one of a full-fledged "hippie", but he had a hippie mind set of sorts. A progressive mindset. He played a big, loping intellectual of a man. A smart and caring man. A man who thought about things.

His character reminded me of several male figures in my young life. Smart men who taught me things.

We rented a room to a teacher named Wayne, who spent a lot of his valuable time tutoring me in school subjects that I was having difficulty with. He would spend hours with me every night. He received no payment for tutoring me, he did it because he loved to teach. He was a cool dude. He was very progressive, like Michael Stivic, and his mannerisms and way of talking were uncannily similar to Reiner's Stivic character.

My friend's older brothers also had friends that reminded me of Reiner's character. Big, strong men with gentle souls. Men who would take me under their wings, and talk to me about things that would challenge my yet undeveloped young mind...politics, astronomy, etc.

So I could relate to Michael Stivic with fondness. And Reiner played his character so well, that Rob Reiner WAS INDEED Micheal Stivic to me. He influenced my thought processes, and he made me smile. And as it happened, Rob Reiner the man, evolved into a person who held intelligent and progressive views. A wonderful human being.

Like many of us. Mr. and Mrs. Reiner fell victim to the harsh realities of the world. It happens to the rich and famous, as it happens to the rest of us. It's inescapable, no matter your position in society. Perhaps they were victims of a system that couldn't help their son Nick. A system that isn't set up to help people with human problems. Those with mental health issues. Those with addiction issues.

The deaths of the Reiners, along with the Brown and Bondi shootings, made for a sad and reflective few days.

Life could be so much better, if we had a "better" society, a society that puts the human being first. A society with an emphasis on safety nets.