It's amazing how many people commenting have had similar experiences. Especially when the lure to Steemit seems to be the money.

Yet, there are plenty of people here, too, who come because of the potentiality. While the possibility to receive compensation exists, the potential is something far greater. Changing the world, creating something others can appreciate, sharing a message of hope and happiness many can relate to. Those are just some of things Steem/Steemit has the potential to do. And I think more and more of us have been drawn here because of that.

I, too, have experienced what you and others have. The thing about it was, my wife and I stressed about not having money when we didn't have it, and we stressed over having it when we did have more, because the possibility of the "money" spigot being turned off was always looming. We could never really enjoy it because we we're constantly concerned with losing it.

Many of us will never experience what it's like to live in extreme poverty. And while some will talk in their own countries about how the top 1% are doing this or that, the fact of the matter is, the industrialized world is the top 1% to the rest of the world, so even in our relative poverty, we are going to be richer than many others.

Happiness can't be bought, but it can be obtained, and I look forward to obtaining it every day.