My Two Year Steemiversary- Oh What A Journey It Has Been! (Collages of many wondrous steemians inside)

It's hard to believe it's been two full years since I stepped onto this platform! For the past few weeks I've been thinking a lot about my time here, and especially the beginning of it- which was utter magic. Within just a few weeks I had made connections with people all over the globe, many of them I've not only retained but have developed into lifelong friendships, and I met more along the way who are hugely important to me now and always.

Steemit continues to be the one platform that delivers on its boast of a global network, which for me is one of the greatest, most special things about it.

In these collages you will find people I love from Scotland, The Philippines, Mexico, New Zealand, North and South Africa, Canada, Spain, Germany, Australia, England, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, South America, and all over the continental US. From every background, ethnicity, all walks of life, from their twenties to their sixties- they are dear to me.

And I never would have known them if I had not taken this leap 24 months ago.

Since I came late to the 2016 party I wasn't here for the first wave of highly paid posts, but I heard all about them as the excitement was still in the air- people had a taste of the potential of this platform and that was enough to carry it forward for quite some time.

This place has been a series of highs and lows, which to my mind is an exact reflection of life itself. There are great seasons followed by terrible ones and everything in between. But it's what we take from it, make of it, that matters most.

During the hard times the key is in knowing 'this too shall pass', both in life and in the cyber and crypto world.

One year ago today I wrote My first steemiversary post and exactly one month to the day later I lost my dad.

Then several months after that my childhood home went on the market followed by my 18 year old daughter, one of the great loves of my life, moving 17 hours away.

During most of those upheavals the price of steem was high- but that didn't stop life from bringing some low points.

Now crypto is tanking, but I have a published novel on amazon that will soon be accompanied by another, my daughter is thriving fantastically in her new location, and my mother is happily settled into her new home and truly enjoying herself despite her great loss.

My point is: life indeed goes on, there truly are lights at the ends of tunnels, and every low will eventually be followed by a high.

Now granted I am a 'cup half full' individual, but that's a choice that anyone can make. Our perceptions and perspectives are truly what shape the life we lead. And there's real power in it- if we envision a glorious future there's a far better chance of having one. As @therealpaul has said in many posts and in many ways- we have the ability to imagine'nations', our thoughts can change the world.

Today I just want to say- I'm still here! I still love this community and am incredibly grateful to have been a part of it these past two years- to have met so many spectacular, incredible, amazeballs, fantabulous people.

A huge thanks to my friends here for all of your support, this place would be nothing without you!

Cheers to two more years!

@verbal-d's song for @pfunk's witness:

My amazing brother- original song: Stronger :)

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