Another great died today.  At least in my book.  This time it was Ernest Borgnine.  An actor who entertained a young boy and young man on many occasions.  I really loved his cameo in RED, and he looked great for being 95.  But alas, our bodies wear out usually long before our minds do.

Thinking back over the people that I have written about, the ones that I miss as father time chases all of us down to the ground, I noticed that most of the ones I miss the most are not the super stars.  Or the major actors.  They are the supporting actors, or the almost famous sports stars or people.  And I think I know why,

The great ones are usually larger than life. They may be as human as you or I, but most of us cannot relate to them because they are the great ones. We mourn their passing, but it is not as deeply felt as the supporting cast.  They are the ones that seem to hit the hardest.  Because we see ourselves in them as well.  Not superstars, just good people who did a great job.  Kind of like how we would like to see ourselves.

I know one man, who most would agree is a superstar in his own rights.  Yet he confided to close friends one day that he still is striving to be as great as his grandfather - a man almost no one knows anything about,  But to this man, his grandfather will always be larger than life - a superstar.  Someone to strive to be like, but which is a constant effort, not something we think we attain in real life.

We attain the stature of Ernest Borgnine (and know we can easily sit down with him and have a beer), yet the superstars?  The Katherine Hepburns, or Spencer Tracys?  Nah!  They are on a pedestal. 

Ernest Borgnine was one of the greats, yet he was just a regular joe - and that is what made him so special to me.  I will miss his presence.  He made his roles "human" and for that I thank him and wish his family well.

RIP Ernest Borgnine.