“Almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs

Today, R.T. shares his thoughts on the real reason the world will miss Steve Jobs. Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs. You were a great man.

We’re big Twitter fans here at LCWS. For those of you who aren’t, here’s the biggest story of the last twelve hours: the passing of Steve Jobs.

There are a number of Apple products that make up our combined creative endeavors. All of our websites are built on Evelyn, Leah’s 1.5-year-old MacBook Pro. My music gets recorded onto an iMac or my Mac Mini, on which I also write. We have an iPad, an iPhone, at least one iPod, and a host of accessories. We dig on Apple stuff, as you can tell.

And that’s why on this morning, we’re thinking about the nature of these gadgets as our friends and contemporaries share their sadness at the passing of the man who made them all possible. Whole careers (and industries) have been built on or around Apple products. People often feel a deep connection with their electronic toys and we’re no different. Sure, it’s just a computer/phone/other device, but, man, it’s a pretty one.

Folks were really attached to Mr. Jobs. He was responsible for designing some of the nicest stuff that ever plugged into an outlet. But the aesthetics and overwhelming popularity of certain consumer electronics don’t get to the heart of why people are sad today. Plenty of companies crank out sleek, efficient machines that help us do our jobs and separate us from our hard earned cash.

The truth is, it’s not just tech lust that gets Apple addicts up in the morning. We’re actively inspired by the whole story of the machine. In that way, the death of one company’s founder and leader is a very human story, and a moving one. There was one very singular dude at the end of the trail that brought us these products. And that is what speaks to us the loudest.

Everyone wants to invest themselves in something iconic or moving or important and have the tendrils of their very own heart reach out to millions. It doesn’t matter what the product is. We can’t help but feel fondness for a guy who actually bought into his own dreams hook, line, and sinker because that’s what we want to do.

We’re swimming upstream all day long, dealing with frustrations and setbacks, learning lessons and applying them, and pushing, pushing, pushing because that’s what we want more than anything — to think and dream and inspire others. To get to the end of the day and have created something.

We’re not here for nothing. Buying and becoming fascinated with new technology might seem pedantic and distracting, but everything we interact with is a conduit for our life’s work. We might as well enjoy the back-lit boxes we stare at all day, every day. And if we’re lucky enough to have that product inspire us because of the driving force behind them, all the better. It’s a tough world; a little extra inspiration never hurts.

So, if you’re thinking, ‘They’re just computers,’ you’re right. But remember that for so many of us, they represent something else, too: the courage to believe in yourself and the strength to follow your dreams.