My #steem journey started on June 2, 2017. On that day, the trajectory of my life changed (for the better).

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My Story

I did not join the #steem community during a joy-filled season of my life. Looking back, I have realized I was extremely depressed on my #steembirthday. My wife and I had spent 12 years living in Indonesia - a beautiful country, filled with caring people. A foreign land became our "home," and strangers became our second family. So when I felt that my family and I needed to return to the United States, we were all devastated.

Leaving Indonesia meant that we left the house all of my kids were raised in, we left dear friends who had walked alongside us through both challenges and celebrations, and I was leaving a job I greatly enjoyed that provide our family's only source of income.

When I joined the Steem community, I had little to nothing to offer.

I came for the money ...

This commonly quoted phrase (that I have heard from countless members of our community) was true for me. I needed money and I needed it fast. But what I learned is that I needed a voice even more.

I have often referred to my first few months on the Steem platform as free therapy. On a personal level, I needed to take the time to process life, meditate on my thoughts and feelings, and then create. Not all of my posts shared my deepest, darkest feelings, but the ones that did allowed me to open up at a time when I all wanted to do was shut up and close down.

Steem kept inviting me back, day after day, to share through my posts and via comments on other peoples' posts. And as I shared and learned the ropes, I started meeting some incredible people who showed genuine interest in me and the things I needed to write about.

Seeing the bigger picture

I have been around long enough to realize that my understanding of Steem in those early days was rather small. I saw Steemit.com, not #steem. I saw a project, not the people. I thought that writing a post was the only way to add value.

Although I have written my fair share of posts (617), comments (5,547 ), and replies (6,442), I proudly wear some new hats that I would have never considered when I first joined:

• Creator - I have saved my content on an immutable blockchain.
• Investor -I have invested my time and my money.
• Trailblazer - Many have walked this path before me, but I have walking this trail before the masses.
• Owner - I am a stakeholder, so I am interested in the long-term success of this platform, blockchain, and community.

Your First Love

There is something to be said about your first true love!

Steem is my first "blockchain" love. I had other encounters with different blockchains and cryptocurrencies, but Steem was the first blockchain community that I have identified myself with. My interaction with the other projects have been just that - PROJECTS. But my interaction with Steem has been much more - PROJECTS and more importantly PEOPLE. I have stayed because of the people. I have stayed because of genuine relationships.

Steem is my first "social media" love. I had used social media platforms for years before joining Steem. But the big difference is that with Steem, my posts are mine. There is no single organization that can "mute" me, censor me, or shut me up. And what I create and say is designed for the betterment of the community, not for the profit of a company.

Growing Bigger and Stronger

I highly recommend that others join the Steem community, and perhaps they will be able to learn from my mistakes. My advice would be the following:

• Even if you don't have much to give, be ready to give something.
• It is ok to listen before you speak. Consume the posts of great content creators before you start creating content.
• Authentic, engaging comments are like tiny gold nuggets. A lot of them gathered in one place will create great wealth.
• Your freedom to do all things does not mean that you should do all things.
• Dream bigger. Allow Steem to be more than social media.

Final Thoughts

If you want perfection, I recommend that you keep looking. But if you are wanting to join a wild ride with some trailblazers, hop on and buckle up. We are a bunch of misfits (people searching for answers where other people are afraid to look) who dream big and live life unfiltered. We have seen our share of "family" spats (some uglier than others), but we all keep moving forward in hopes of a better and brighter future.

I cannot foretell the future. I don't know what the next 2, 5, or 10 years will be like. All I know is that Steem has impacted my life for the last 2 plus years and for that I am grateful!

Keep Steeming and keep moving forward!
@SumatraNate

Some Of My Highlights

My First Post

My First @Curie Vote

My Splinterlands Dragon Splinter

My Steem Markdown Course