I always find it very interesting how one simple action or choice can lead to some great life changing events! I can still vividly remember back in 2018 watching a video from Jerry Banfield (remember him!).. Jerry was very active on what was then Steemit, and spent many hours sharing about this incredible new blockchain social network on YouTube. I was intrigued and signed up to what turned out to be a life changing decision! It took me many months to fully grasp this new decentralised world of posting, up-voting, and writing.. which is something i had not really done before i arrived at Steemit. It was an incredible adventure as i met people from around the world, and wrote and shared about so many things that i felt were important. I also very soon after decided i wanted to create a community that i called the ecoTrain, and that journey as been at times breathtaking as we came together as a beautiful and supportive community. I cant even imagine how life would have been had I not made that impulsive and almost random decision to start this journey almost 5 years ago.
A lot has happened since then, and i think it's fair to say that i have written about just about every topic that has any importance to me. It has been a great inner journey and learning process to write and discover some deeper truths and feelings that i have around so many topics! The Question Of The Week has been ongoing almost without a break has also been such a beautiful experience and i have never had any trouble continuing to manifest new and challenging questions for us all to answer. If i had to choose ONE question that i think was my favourite it has to be the three part series that we had on the topic of patriarchy and matriarchy. That was such an amazing QOTW, i learned so much and the responses and interactions that we had around it was so very special indeed.
Steem and Hive showed me a new way that our world can operate, that is to say, the world of decentralisation.. where the fat cat and middle man is removed, and abundance can be instead be shared by all. This ecosystem has come a long way since then, and it is very good to see so many people getting rewarded for their posts and for being a part of this grand experiment. It may not be perfect, but it has continued to work and improve in so many ways. The trending tag is testimony to this as we now see new people appearing on it regularly, with an ever diverse list of topics being supported. I believe Hive has a long future ahead of it, and i truly wish it well and hope it continues to evolves into a shining example of how a decentralised system is so much better than the current models we have.
With all that said, my life has taken many twists and turns since i arrived, and there have been so many changes to my life that it is hard to keep up. Hive has been a constant throughout all of this, and in a way that has been very comforting and just a part of my life that I could not really imagine giving up. Its almost natural now that any amazing event or experience is something that i very quickly want to write about and share, and turn into another wonderful Hive post! Its a lot of fun, and im very happy i discovered it.
Here is the thing though, a few days ago a little voice came to me telling me it was time to stop. I wasn’t really sure why that would be so, and have been thinking about it since then. I still enjoy this place, and still value so many of the people who are here posting and commenting on my posts. Nevertheless, i have come to realise that as i make great changes to my life, there is an opportunity cost to spending so much time here.. but i have no idea what it is.
I have decided to stop posting and using Hive because it is the only way that i will find out, and discover what life has in store for me next. I think that i wont find that out until i make space for it. Its not an easy decision but i can feel in my heart of hearts that it is time so i can find out. As i approach 50 years old i realise that the days, weeks and months are flying by faster than ever, and i want to discover new things and opportunities that can bring me joy and give me the chance to grow and change in the ways i am seeking. Sadly, stopping is the only way that i think i will realise these change.
So i would like to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me! You have made this place what it is, and i am very grateful for the support that i have received here. Most notably i would like to send a very special thanks to Linda, @canadian-coconut who is someone i have so much respect for, and for so many reasons! Linda, you have supported me never-endingly since the very start, and your support really did make all the difference. I would also like to thank the many other curators who have supported me on this journey including @v4vapid, @buildawhale, @newhope, @mangos, @themarkymark, @solarwarrior, @broncuntz, @therising, @quochuy, @ripperone, @solarwarrior, @alexis555, @resonator, @redes, @appreciator, @trafalgar, @enki and.. everyone else who has been a part of this journey!
Id also like to give a huge shout out to all my friends and Hive family who i wont tag here because the list is too long, and i don’t want to miss anyone out! You know who you are! I wish you an amazing continued time here on Hive and hope you continue to manifest great abundance and help make this place a better place!
If you are wondering what this means for the ecoTrain community, it does mean that the QOTW will cease to continue! I will not power down my two accounts and instead have decided to trail one or two great curators who i know will direct my voting to great people who post and add value to Hive. People can of course continue to post to the ecoTrain community, and i hope that they will continue to receive great support and continue to spread their valuable knowledge and ideas around so many of the topics that we support. Never before have the topics that ecoTrain supports been more important and relevant than today, and i truly hope that more people start to embark on the great voyage of starting to live more independently and self sufficiently rather than rely on a crumbling system that is becoming ever more challenging to exist in.
So, thank you all again for being here with me on this journey.. it is a bit sad really to let go of this.. but sometimes we have to do what we have to do, and for me my time has come. Sending you all huge love and abundance and may all your dreams come true! Signing off big love from @eco-alex
xxx