Dear America,
to lay it all out there today,
there are days when I'm not sure if I'm watching the love of my life die or spring back to life. it can fall either way depending upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed I awoke...while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.
I get to see him when he lets me -- which rounds out to about once or twice a month; that all depends upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed he awoke....while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.
What holds us together? Anyone from the outside would have to wonder...
For a quick answer, I would have to surmise -- if only to myself -- the thing that binds is our ability to feel each other, even from afar. The thing that unites is our ability to unconditionally love each other. The thing that builds is our ability to reinforce and affirm the good above all else. It really doesn't matter if anybody else gets it -- we do -- and that's what counts.
while the circumstances are clearly not what we wish for ourselves, being an immediate threat to living a life fully engaged in every possible way -- considering the overbearing amount of fear, stress, and pain getting in the way -- still, it is our reality. As unfair as it may be in our own little minds, that's life.
But it's funny how life works -- for it is only through our challenges and disappointments and failures that make us strong; go figure. But think about it, if everything was just handed to us, being all hunky dory all the time and coming with great ease -- just what would push us, motivate us, encourage us to expand, grow, love, build, prosper, advance, to our highest good? whatever that may be?
Certainly -- if you happen to be someone facing death through dis-ease, the acceptance and ability to live within that dichotomy of life and death itself becomes of that much greater importance, doesn't it. In such an instance, nearly everything we do becomes bigger than life. We either learn to let go and truly live! -- or we choose to go down hard, fighting it all the way.
my baby is expected to successfully come out the other side 'of this' in time... all the while, I will wait -- feeling him, loving him, letting him manage it the way he wants. for what choice do I really have, right?
so sure, in this day in the life of America -- even as I am selfishly pre-occupied with my own lament -- all together WE are collectively reflective of how we lost a good one just yesterday -- Steve Jobs.
And in this moment, let us stop and remember the life-force of his own words:
Steve's remarks -- in front of an audience of Standford graduates -- give us just a snapshot of what went into the making and evolution of the technological, inventive, courageous, gentle genius behind the face who became a cultural icon, defining innovation with hi-tech gadgetry, making them fun, accessible, and user friendly. His company grew to become a one-man-app, of sorts, symbolizing creativity, excellence, industry while bringing really cool things to market. Just the sight of it alone -- an apple with a bite out of it -- gave people chills.
but more than all that -- he belonged to someone -- he was a husband and father of four.
In an interview for WIRED, February 1996, he said:
what unguarded humility and life-affirming perspective... go Steve..."having children really changes your view on these things..." and how.
having children, bearing an illness, losing a loved one...among other things...changes everything in a heart beat.
In the video, Steve lends his best advice on life and death, saying:
Steve was a big believer in the philosophy of doing that which feeds the fire in the belly.... "[to] do what you believe is great work." When fired from the very company he started, he considered for a moment of whether or not to pack it up and run away from Silicone Valley for good -- giving into the warped reality that he was a total failure. Can you just imagine that? Steve Jobs doubting himself?
But then -- things changed. He stopped to ask himself -- just why should you do that, Steve? -- you love what you do.
sometimes we have no idea the who, what, when, where, or why in life; and sadly, "sometimes life is gonna hit you on the head with a brick, but don't lose faith," Steve tells the crowd of students, parents, professors, and subsequently, the millions, at large, who have downloaded the youtube video.
Now we all know.
All we can do is LIVE like it may be our last, from the heart.
and indeed he did.
Bless you, Steve -- who is sure to be kickin' back on a cloud as we speak, day-dreaming of what's next.
Make it a Good Day, G
and what a dichotomy of realities -- one aspect of the day is feeling the emotional loss of the leader of a corporate dynasty, while the other is witnessing the utter disconnect creeping into society, sometimes not so quietly, as in the Occupy Wall Street protests. Poor kids, they know not what they do.
unfortunately, we haven't come to the conclusion of that discussion yet.... but we will....just not today.
to lay it all out there today,
there are days when I'm not sure if I'm watching the love of my life die or spring back to life. it can fall either way depending upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed I awoke...while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.
I get to see him when he lets me -- which rounds out to about once or twice a month; that all depends upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed he awoke....while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.
What holds us together? Anyone from the outside would have to wonder...
For a quick answer, I would have to surmise -- if only to myself -- the thing that binds is our ability to feel each other, even from afar. The thing that unites is our ability to unconditionally love each other. The thing that builds is our ability to reinforce and affirm the good above all else. It really doesn't matter if anybody else gets it -- we do -- and that's what counts.
while the circumstances are clearly not what we wish for ourselves, being an immediate threat to living a life fully engaged in every possible way -- considering the overbearing amount of fear, stress, and pain getting in the way -- still, it is our reality. As unfair as it may be in our own little minds, that's life.
But it's funny how life works -- for it is only through our challenges and disappointments and failures that make us strong; go figure. But think about it, if everything was just handed to us, being all hunky dory all the time and coming with great ease -- just what would push us, motivate us, encourage us to expand, grow, love, build, prosper, advance, to our highest good? whatever that may be?
Certainly -- if you happen to be someone facing death through dis-ease, the acceptance and ability to live within that dichotomy of life and death itself becomes of that much greater importance, doesn't it. In such an instance, nearly everything we do becomes bigger than life. We either learn to let go and truly live! -- or we choose to go down hard, fighting it all the way.
my baby is expected to successfully come out the other side 'of this' in time... all the while, I will wait -- feeling him, loving him, letting him manage it the way he wants. for what choice do I really have, right?
so sure, in this day in the life of America -- even as I am selfishly pre-occupied with my own lament -- all together WE are collectively reflective of how we lost a good one just yesterday -- Steve Jobs.
And in this moment, let us stop and remember the life-force of his own words:
Steve's remarks -- in front of an audience of Standford graduates -- give us just a snapshot of what went into the making and evolution of the technological, inventive, courageous, gentle genius behind the face who became a cultural icon, defining innovation with hi-tech gadgetry, making them fun, accessible, and user friendly. His company grew to become a one-man-app, of sorts, symbolizing creativity, excellence, industry while bringing really cool things to market. Just the sight of it alone -- an apple with a bite out of it -- gave people chills.
but more than all that -- he belonged to someone -- he was a husband and father of four.
In an interview for WIRED, February 1996, he said:
“The problem is I’m older now, I’m 40 years old, and this stuff doesn’t change the world. It really doesn’t.
I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all.
These technologies can make life easier, can let us touch people we might not otherwise. You may have a child with a birth defect and be able to get in touch with other parents and support groups, get medical information, the latest experimental drugs. These things can profoundly influence life. I’m not downplaying that.
But it’s a disservice to constantly put things in this radical new light — that it’s going to change everything. Things don’t have to change the world to be important."
what unguarded humility and life-affirming perspective... go Steve..."having children really changes your view on these things..." and how.
having children, bearing an illness, losing a loved one...among other things...changes everything in a heart beat.
In the video, Steve lends his best advice on life and death, saying:
"No one wants to die; even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there...death is very likely the single best invention of life...it clears out the old to make room for the new...
Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's quite true. Your time is limited; so don't waste it living someone else' life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own voice..."
Steve was a big believer in the philosophy of doing that which feeds the fire in the belly.... "[to] do what you believe is great work." When fired from the very company he started, he considered for a moment of whether or not to pack it up and run away from Silicone Valley for good -- giving into the warped reality that he was a total failure. Can you just imagine that? Steve Jobs doubting himself?
But then -- things changed. He stopped to ask himself -- just why should you do that, Steve? -- you love what you do.
Unconditional love in the creative process made him persevere, in spite of how things looked.
"again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future...you have to trust in something -- your gut, your destiny, karma, whatever...that which gives you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads off the well worn path -- and that will make all the difference."
sometimes we have no idea the who, what, when, where, or why in life; and sadly, "sometimes life is gonna hit you on the head with a brick, but don't lose faith," Steve tells the crowd of students, parents, professors, and subsequently, the millions, at large, who have downloaded the youtube video.
Now we all know.
All we can do is LIVE like it may be our last, from the heart.
and indeed he did.
Bless you, Steve -- who is sure to be kickin' back on a cloud as we speak, day-dreaming of what's next.
Make it a Good Day, G
and what a dichotomy of realities -- one aspect of the day is feeling the emotional loss of the leader of a corporate dynasty, while the other is witnessing the utter disconnect creeping into society, sometimes not so quietly, as in the Occupy Wall Street protests. Poor kids, they know not what they do.
unfortunately, we haven't come to the conclusion of that discussion yet.... but we will....just not today.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment