Mythic Logos

It has been a long time since I cried.  I can’t even recall the last time. These past few years have been amazing with my wife and now my daughter. Life is amazing and wonderful.

I think the last time I encountered death was 5 years ago and that was of someone waiting to die. When someone dies, I think of the loss of potential. Some people, well, they gave up their potential long ago. I don’t mean productive potential, but rather, joy of life potential. A retiree who wants to enjoy life, being with their family, having fun with grandchildren, well, that to me is amazing. I have known teachers who are on the brink of such a life, such a retirement, and then they die all of a sudden. I cried for them.

Yesterday, Steve Jobs died. Yes, he has done amazing things in technology. But the sad loss is what seemed to me to be his love of life. From what little I know of him, he embraced life fully. It seems criminal to me for the world to lose that bright light. Love of life is all too rare.

I also reflect upon the impact he has had on me personally. Four years ago, I had no Apple product in my life except a small iPod which I barely used. If Steve Jobs had died, I might have even said “Who?” But now, I am typing on a MacBook Air. I have an iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, 27in iMac, and white MacBook. I, or my wife, use all of them. And I hope to get the new iPhone4s. Computers have become a joy to use.

My daughter turned 6 months yesterday. I have taken probably over 2500 photos and videos of her on my iPhone. I have posted nearly 1000 photos and videos of her. It is a joy to use the iPhone and iPhoto. I think about prior experiences with digital cameras and I cringe. Steve Jobs has given me the ability to focus on doing what I want and not what the computer wants.

I will read his, now sadly complete, biography when it comes out. And I will probably cry again when I am done.

And maybe, just maybe, I will follow my passions and create something wonderful. I think the most fitting tribute to Mr. Steve Jobs is for everyone to embrace his mantra of loving life, of seeing that death will happen for each of us and that we might as well go all in now since there is no later.

Steve Jobs, thank you. You will be missed.