Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs died today.

The strange thing about his death is that it has struck me much more deeply than I'd expected.  Of course we all die, Steve being no exception; at least Steve's passing seemed a bit more pending these past several years and thus far less surprising.  Yet when I read the news a short while ago, I began thinking of the awesome accomplishments he'd fought for and made, the lives he's touched whether directly or not, and the many mistakes he's sure to have made as a fellow human being, especially as one who refused to settle on "good enough."  I settled into my own mind and realized that the lives right here in this house have been affected by him in some way.  Dale got into Apple a bit before I did, and in fact got /me/ into Apple products.  He gave me Shady as an engagement gift, knowing that I was saving for an iMac, and I knew I'd decided to say yes to the right man.  Later, when standing in line at the Apple Store in Portland, Maine, I decided on the fly to get an iPad as well, the day they first came out.  We were there at 6 a.m.  Since that fateful day, I still love my first-gen iPad.  Dale's gone through a few iterations of iPods and iPhones, bought me an iPod that's engraved, and he's collected a number of older beasts, one of which he named Lisa in honor of "the" Lisa.  He gave his laptop away from disuse and gave away a modified iMac that he got working by swapping around some parts.  He's been amazing, setting up his little Mac Mini as a DVR.  This past February, I bought my MacBook.  I'd wrestled with the idea of an iPhone but ultimately decided I honestly didn't need it or the accompanying bill, despite my fascination with the wondrous technology.  I've tried other devices that are similar to the iPad and they simply lack the polished feel that Apple products project.

Since becoming an Apple fan, we've been blessed with seeing One Infinite Loop.  Like other creatures of curiosity, we've watched numerous videos about the history of Apple Computer, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak.  We have experienced over four years of a happy marriage so far and often recreate our memories on Apple products to hold onto and cherish forever.  I still remember the animated talks that we've had with our friend, Michael, the Apple Angel and guru around these parts, the guy that convinced Dale to go Apple and never look back.  I've watched, somewhat sadly, as my self-built towers, adopted laptops, consoles, and towers have all passed from the highlights in my life to strongly held memories or beloved hunks of metal that are held as relics, "just in case," or "for the good ol' days."  I've watched as my lust for understanding and control has subsided into a sort of quiet reverie, an acceptance that I don't need to fix something because it's not nearly as imperfect as things used to be... that I've finally found products that already DO my bidding rather than create havoc that needs to be rounded up and guardedly controlled by my own hands.

We've gotten Dale's mom on an iMac and we've convinced several people to go that route as well.  Even my own boss, who once pooh-poohed the concept of such an "easy" piece of tech, eventually saw my iPad and had to have one.  Shortly thereafter, he had an iPhone and he cannot part with it.  A couple other people at work were also convinced and ended up with Apple products instead of a "pee cee."  In short, we're drinking the damned water, and we're OK with it because it tastes soooooooo refreshingly good.  It's worth the price tag.  It's worth the jeers and the teasing from our technological peers.  It's worth the upturned noses.  We have stopped caring that owning a mac was once seen as making us dumber or lowering our IQs to something below that of the fuzz in our belly buttons and instead we see it as a badge of efficiency, simplicity, and beauty that is greatly lost on much of the world these days.  It's a symbol - and an example! - of doing things right and taking the time to see to the details instead of cutting jagged corners that shatter or writing news casts ridden with gross misspellings and grammatical faux pas.

So, as I sat here eating a simple salad and reading up on Facebook, I felt hot tears slide down my cheeks as a fellow geek's post appeared before me:  "RIP Steve Jobs."  I couldn't believe I hadn't heard the news, then I realized he'd just posted it 17 minutes earlier.  I flipped through sites and found that indeed, the news had scarcely been announced.  The tears stung softly, the aching in my heart a gentle throb that was both sad but also knowing and accepting.  Apple's own site even caused a ripple of silence within me:  Simply his name and the years, 1955-2011.  A black and white photo of him with that piercing look he had, on a simple white background.  Even in his death, the simplicity of the page resonated louder than any words ever could.

Steve has touched lives and will continue to do so.  Just as life could not hold him back, neither will death.  He is a cofounder of Apple.  He is the spirit of "Think Differently."  And even people like me, who barely even knew of him until the last decade of his life, can recognize the loss we share today.  We can recognize the inspiration that breathes in every gesture, every swipe, every voice command, every mouse click, every keystroke.  Every song we download whispers his memory.  Every time our MacBooks sleep, the glowing lights will breathe his life back into our memories.

Rest in peace, Steve, and thank you for sharing.

Whitney