The legacy of a visionary: remembering Steve Jobs

It has just been a day when Apple announced that its former CEO had passed away. All throughout the day and even until now, fans, users, politicians, and other personalities have expressed their sadness about Steve Jobs’ death and offer their condolences to his family. Various sites all over the Internet have published articles about his work, his words of wisdom, his early beginnings, and how he began Apple from just a garage.

The image above is what greets you if you happen to visit Apple’s Web site. Clicking on the image will bring up a short but moving message that was penned by current CEO Tim Cook, which reads:

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

I have always been a huge Apple fan, primarily because I loved my iPod to pieces and also because I admire the way Steve ran the company. I was also impressed by his $1 salary and how cared more about getting a good product out and making Apple number one, instead of his own personal wealth.

Steve Jobs may not have been the perfect person, he earlier denied having fathered a daughter named Lisa. He may have stepped on the shoes of other people a lot, because he did end up getting fired from the very company he co-founded in 1985. But Steve was Steve, and he rose above adversary to rebuild all that he had lost–and so much more.

In his own words: “The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” And so, he went on to start NeXT Computer and bought a company called the Graphics Group, which eventually became the Pixar that we all know of today. In 1996, Apple brought Steve Jobs back on board–and the rest, as they say, is history.

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.

I’ll always stay connected with Apple. I hope that throughout my life I’ll sort of have the thread of my life and the thread of Apple weave in and out of each other, like a tapestry. There may be a few years when I’m not there, but I’ll always come back
- Steve Jobs, 1985 -