Don Bosco Philippines South Province

I got the news Thursday morning of October 6 that the great Steve Jobs passed away due to cancer. I like the guy because he’s a genius innovator and salesman and I don’t like him because he sells expensive. But I’d like to thank him for the many ways he has pushed the industry to a higher standard, being able to make Microsoft’s heart skip a beat with Apple’s competition. Most of all his ingenuity led us to believe in human creativity.

Reading a snippet of his life from Associated Press, I got to realize the humble beginnings of this technology icon. He was put up for adoption, raised by a middle-class working family, dropped out of college, and started Apple in a garage much like the techies of the 70’s and 80’s who are now on top of big technology corporations like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and others. By pushing for excellence and perfection he was able to drag the world along with him.

There are many lives out there that help us learn the meaning and beauty of life. There are many out there who exemplify humanity in their own ways and fields. All we have to do is believe in ourselves that we can, after all the the setbacks and stumbles in life, be able to rise up again to the challenge. What gift we have we can nurture to become the giants that we are meant to be. We don’t need to compare because we already are winners inside, we only have to bring out that champion in each one of us.

Most of all, we realize that we can only do so little despite all our human power. We are limited after all. We will have to pass the gate of death. What can I leave behind for the world as the great Steve Jobs did with all the gadgets we have in our pockets and in our backpacks? How can we improve each other’s life for the better? We transcend our limitations when we begin to transcend our own selfish boundaries.

Our humanity is the wonderful union of limitation and excellence, of immanence and transcendence, the interior and exterior life. To say we are gods and forget we are men, we fall. To say we are men and not God’s, we despair. Let the life of Steve Jobs who set the standard for human creativity and ingenuity inspires us. Great and cool life, Steve!

Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.