I grew up in Palo Alto. Which means, I grew up with Steve Jobs. Kids from my school would go trick-or-treating at his house for Halloween; he was known for giving out Odwalla bars. I’d imagine him watering his garden or talking to his kids while I was biking through his  neighborhood. My friends’ siblings had classes with his children. He and his inexhaustible supply of gray shirts would frequently come up at the dinner table, even more so when my dad started working for Apple. Palo Alto has definitely lost an integral part of its character and personal identity with the death of Steve Jobs, former Apple co-founder and CEO, at 56 on Wednesday, October 5. My Facebook newsfeed exploded on Wednesday with status posts from all of my fellow Palo Altans, grieving Jobs’ death – all expressed sadness and nostalgia, and a certain pride at having had a special connection with Jobs. But the news of iPhone-lit vigils and emotional tributes from international leaders around the globe shows that his loss is felt worldwide, because of the incredible and lasting reach of his innovations.

I couldn’t have predicted the effect his passing had on me. When I heard the news of his death, I was shocked to the point of stopping in my tracks (…from reading an article on my iPhone). I realized that I had always considered Jobs an everlasting and crucial component to my hometown, to the Sillicon Valley, and to the technological world. I subconsciously took comfort in knowing he lived and worked within biking distance of my home, in knowing that someone out there was changing the future for the better – in a very tangible way. Needless to say, I will miss him.

For the world, he was a visionary, an innovator and an icon. His creations changed our way of life forever – can we even remember what life was like before iPods and iPhones and Macs? It’s hard. Many of us wake up to an alarm on our iPhone, carry our Macs to class, watch a movie on Netflix on our iPads, or go jogging with our iPods. What would we do without our Apple products? Yet it’s only been a decade since the first iPod, and a mere 4 years since the first iPhone. Jobs’ newest innovation, the iPad, has already revolutionized the tablet industry. Apple products have encrusted themselves into our daily life and changed the way the world thinks about technology. That’s the feat of a legend.

It’s hard to try to describe his legacy; one easy thing to say is that he will be remembered by future generations as one of the best and most successful business leaders of the times. But, besides Jobs’ clear accomplishments and the obvious success of his company, his particular vision and attitude will be sure to continue to inspire countless people. He managed to combine his passion and his work to brilliantly shape the future he was heading full force into – his advice to Stanford graduates at his 2005 commencement speech embodied this attitude: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” The fact that many of us first learned about his passing on an iPhone or a Mac is a testament to the everlasting contribution Jobs has brought to society. In the end, Jobs is almost as immortal as I had imagined him to be.

So, here’s to Steve Jobs; thank you for making technology personal and accessible to everyone, and touching so many lives, present and future. Apples have never held so much symbolism.

Remembrance…

Palo Alto residents share their reactions to Steve Jobs’ death by placing flowers, apples, and various other items in front of his Palo Alto home and writing notes on the sidewalk.

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