Apple announced this evening that Steve Jobs, former CEO had died. The announcement was here
http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/ and quickly spread like proverbial wildfire across the Internet and social media venues.
Fame often dulls our perception of people. We remember, rightfully so, the accomplishments and recognition that earned such fame. What occurs to me, what haunts me when famous people die is the difficulty we have remembering their humanity, their likeness to our own lives. Fame may, as no doubt it will with Steve Jobs, write about the famous in the books of history and achievements. Fame will proclaim the greatness of those so deemed. Yet, fame will never remind us that our human life, no matter how large or unknown, has - each and every one - ultimate value and beauty.
We live. We breathe. We learn. We try. We fail. We succeed.
For me, the greatest miracle is that a human life can grow, learn and adapt - overcome and flourish in it's own particular beauty. We each live our momentary existence in relationship to others, our specific challenges, our own life lessons. So, it is important for me to remember that Steve Jobs was a human being, an amazing human being - nothing more and nothing less.
This is also true of you, right now. I hope you are fully aware of this truth. You have a particular beauty.