What steemit is to me [@looftee's 4th Win Steem Dollar Challenge submission]

When I first heard about a new type of social platform that "pays its users for posting".. It took me a while to wrap my head around that concept. But being who I am, I try all things.

It was a sad day however because I was stopped at the entrance.. A silly sign up programming restriction made my phone number invalid to the platform. And so I shrugged it off and put the matter to the back of the head. Well, devs messed up occasionally.. They'll figure it out. And I haven't looked or heard from Steem for the next 9 months.

But the real story started on April. 5th of April, if I'm not mistaken. When a fateful thought popped in my mind. And my curious fingers typed the words onto the Google search bar.

As soon as I signed up, I knew I was hooked. The platform was refreshing.
The concept is new, and there is a sort of simplicity to the way each of the members post to each other. I've never once seen a "I am more senior than you" remarks, any arguments, if there is arguments at all, are quickly settled amicably, manifesting the true spirit of "agreeing to disagree". Maybe I haven't seen enough of Steemit yet or perhaps I have been so lucky to see only the "good" side of it, I don't care. Because after joining in so many communities online and offline. I feel like this really is a place I can feel at home.

There is just a sense of togetherness felt in this platform like I've never seen in others. I can really feel the "it's about us" in each and every post, at least for the post I've seen and upvoted. Like @surfermarly and her adventures along the coastline from Italy to France and Spain. You can see her enthusiasm in showing us the latest place she visited as soon as possible. Not in the strut-her-stuff way, but like how you would show pictures of your vacation to a friend. Or like @papa-pepper and his fatherly advice, from how to calm down a snake to making money to how to appreciate life. It's people like these that makes me feel like I'm a part of their lives as well. Even as a collective.

There's just this weird familiarity I have with Steemit I haven't felt if ever at all. Perhaps I did.. Back when I first joined Facebook 10 years ago. Back when things are simple, when there are no such things as ads. And everyone posted what's on everyone's mind. No toxicity, no polished rose colored glasses. I haven't felt that since then, until now. Of course, good content is made possible with edits and good writing, but won't that make it more beautiful? To be able to view into a snapshot of a person's live whom to you exist on the other side of the planet and might as well as never existed. And to read the labours of his or her authorship in a way that lets you see straight into the soul. A blog about a walk in a park becomes a philosophical musing of a creative mind. An introduction to a cool product becomes a rousing speech on the person's deepest desire for a better world. You never get that on Facebook, or Instagram, or Reddit.. It's not to say they are not better, to each it's own specialty. And the specialty of Steemit? What makes it stand out? For me.. It has soul.. In a world of superficiality and fake enthusiasm. Soul that lets me in Malaysia connect to a person in Luxembourg in a way that as if we are made to be the best of friends. I don't get that with other places..

And that.. Is what Steemit is to me. And why I choose to stay here. If nothing else.

10SBD do sound enticing but if my only takeaway is saying thank you to everyone who read this post and to post content appreciated by people I care about (you know who you are). I'm happy enough.

Stay Awesome!
@awesomianist