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Six years ago I had the privilege of hearing Steve Jobs give the commencement address at Stanford University at my cousin’s graduation. I will never forget how his words of wisdom inspired me at a time in my life when I needed someone to show me that it was all right to think differently. His speech was an affirmation of creativity, the proof that anyone can create extraordinary ideas if we dare to think outside the box and take risks.

It’s amazing how Steve Jobs’ death is being felt all over the world, how it seems to affect every individual person, from every walk of life, whether they knew him or not. I see this as a testament to the number of lives he changed with his creativity and innovation. Of course I heard the news first online, scrolling through Facebook on my Mac laptop and witnessing people dealing with the aftershocks of this news through social media. This too is a testament to how Steve Jobs was responsible for changing today’s society. Some complain that technology divides people, but here it is clear that Jobs’ inventions—computers, iPhones and iPods, just to name a few—have actually brought my generation closer together through the power of technology. So as we say goodbye to one of the most influential modern visionaries, we must remember to take his mission of innovation and goodness into our own hands for the future.