Rest in Peace, Mike Nichols

We have lost an incredibly talented and funny man.  Mike Nichols has died of a heart attack, according to news reports.

He came to this country when he was only seven years old, a young Jewish boy escaping from Nazi Germany.

He has produced and directed many Broadway plays and Hollywood films, winning Oscars and Tonys for his insightful and humorous looks into the actions of we very human people.

Two of my personal favorites were "Barefoot in the Park" and "The Graduate," both of which are outstanding examples of the man's understanding of people's motives and actions in the face of their everyday struggles, and of the uplifting power of humor in the midst of those struggles.

He found joy in this world and the people in it, in spite of (or maybe even because of) those hardships we all face, and gave us memorable examples of how to cope without losing heart and hope.

His spirit will continue through his work, but he will be sorely missed.