Steve Jobs' Legacy

Steve Jobs, the creative genius behind Apple, passed away earlier this month after battling cancer. His death is a great loss to his family, to Apple, and to all of us who benefit from the technology he helped to develop. I am currently typing this on an Apple computer after driving home listening to music on my iPod from my day of counseling and working with a group of pastors in Lancaster. The pioneering work he did has literally changed the way we listen to music, work with computers, and talk to people on the phone. I would say it is safe to call him a modern day, computer era Thomas Edison.

With all of the success of Apple, Steve Jobs was a very private person. Sure, any time Apple would introduce a new product, Steve would be the one to unveil it to the world with great fanfare. But other than that, you wouldn't really see or hear much about him, or his family. I admire that, actually, keeping his private life private.

For all of his success, there is at least one area where Steve Jobs felt he came up short, and that is his role as a father. As he faced his impending death, he felt it was time to address his life as a dad. Here is how he was quoted in USA Today:

"I wanted my kids to know me," Jobs was quoted as saying by Pulitzer Prize nominee Walter Isaacson, when he asked the Apple co-founder why he authorized a tell-all biography after living a private, almost ascetic life. "I wasn't always there for them, and I wanted them to know why and to understand what I did," Jobs told Isaacson in their final interview at Jobs' home in Palo Alto, California.

This, to me, is very sad. Jobs leaves a tremendous tremendous legacy in business and computer technology, but his own children are left to learn about who their dad really was by reading a book. Instead of their minds filled with memories of spending time with their father, they are left with words on a page.

When I was a teenager, the song Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin, was very popular. I think the words of this song are apparently something Steve Jobs' children will identify with:

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

So dad's what kind of legacy will you leave for your children? If you want to learn more about how to be a dad who will make a difference in the lives of your children, get out to the theatre and see the movie "Courageous," produced by the makers of the "Fireproof." You will be glad you did. I went with my wife and my sons, and we were all blessed by it.

Blessings,

Dr. Paul