Steve Jobs and Me

Steve Jobs was an innovator, entrepreneur, and visionary in the world of computing. But he was also human, and shared something that many people face, and many more don't understand... battling a serious illness.

This quote from Steve Jobs caught my attention today, and I thought I'd share it:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When facing chronic or life-threatening illness, your perspective on life is instantly altered. From the moment you hear the words cancer, auto-immune, diabetes, or whatever the case may be, you suddenly realize how finite your life really is. It is both terrifying and freeing, because the truth that no one is guaranteed tomorrow becomes very personal. You can see the world and the legacy you want to leave behind with total clarity. You also know that no one, including yourself, should hold you back from doing that thing you are called to do.

This is not always easy, but is especially a tremendous calling when you are facing an illness. It takes real courage to fight your disease, and at the same time fight for your dream! I admire Steve Jobs tremendously for fighting both battles intensely. He, and people like him who struggle silently to make their mark despite their physical limitations are truly inspirational.

I hope, like Steve Jobs, I can be counted as one of those people who fights intensely for those I love, and for my dreams. I must admit, my faithful readers, that the past few months have been a struggle for me. No amount of medications or supplements can cure my particular auto-immune bladder issues, and though most days I'm in remission and just fine, other days I struggle - most of it is in ways no one can see, and only the most perceptive people in my life would even know I'm having "one of those days".

There's a posting on Facebook that hits at the heart of what many people like me face...

It's hard to explain to someone who has no clue. It's a daily struggle being in pain or feeling sick on the inside while you look fine on the outside. Please put this as your status for at least 1 hour if you or someone you know has an invisible illness. Never judge what you don't understand...

You may wonder what my point is in today's blog, so I'll get there now. First, life is fragile. It's important that we know who we are, and what our mission in life is. Don't let anyone, including your own "hangups" or illnesses stop you from becoming the person you were designed to be. Second, ask yourself, "Do I support, or do I negate the dreams of others?" We don't need to play judge and jury with other people's lives- we've got enough to do if we are focusing on our own dream!