Donald the Beaver, Drives Engagement with a Gift From Another Steemian. (The Saga Continues...)

Over the last 8 months, I have been sharing the Steemit opportunity with others who I think will be able to "get" the Steemit concept and have the wherewithal to do something about it.

Four months in, I decided to changed my approach because I had been unsuccessful at convincing my family and close friends that investing their time on Steemit was something worthwhile and that their efforts would have the potential to grow in value overtime.

For the most part, people in my circles of influence choose not to see the long term potential. They couldn't seem to get beyond not receiving immediate gratification. Or, having to work a little bit differently and be patient. (Even though older forms of social media offer nothing in the way of an investment in exchange for their time.)

I guess it's difficult for many to change their habits and build new relationships with people they don't know.

Admittedly, it is easier to be able to post something on-line and have immediate interaction and receive approval from 200+ others that you already have a history with, almost instantaneously. It's safe.

Emotionally, there isn't as much at risk. It's almost guaranteed that you'll enjoy some interaction from someone you already know instead of being met with next to no feedback.

When you think about this, it's absolutely crazy what people are willing to share with others just for the "perception" of being liked by people who they already know. It's a fairly safe bet, with an outcome that is predictable and doesn't really change much from one day to the next.

I, like many Steemians, recognized that I could use my spare time in a different way and I was confident enough to take the chance. I still continue to share the Steemit opportunity, but now, I qualify who I choose to educate and share it with.

The last time that I shared the Steemit opportunity with another person was four months ago. It was with a gifted water-colour artist who teaches others how to paint...among other things. Although we haven't known each other for a long time, we happen to live in the same city and she is the closest Steemian to me, geographically speaking.

Her Steemian name is @ehutchison.

She joined the platform in between forks and experiments. It wasn't exactly the easiest time to begin. It was common at that point, for people to only earn a few cents a post, if they were lucky and she has definitely continued to experienced this outcome first hand. (In my humble opinion, we as a community, have lost many bloggers to inactivity on this platform as a direct result.)

Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised when a "gift" was dropped off for me at my clinic. It was from @ehutchinson!

She'd been reading about my interactions with "Donald the Beaver" and brought both of us some gifts.

The first, is a hand painted and hand written note. Thanking me for sharing Steemit and Donald with her.

The second gift was pussy willows that she had rooted for us, from cuttings she had foraged for on her own property.

I plan to strategically plant these cuttings around my own property in a few weeks. This will give both Donald and I a plan "B, C, E and D" in the event that the bush that he has currently severely pruned doesn't survive.

Thank you so much @ehutchinson!

Thanks for the cute little water-colour and heart-warming note. Thanks for actually reading my work and thanks for sticking with Steemit and not giving up.

You rock and I am honoured to call you my friend.

If you haven't discovered @ehutchinson's artwork yet, please check her blog out and follow her if you like what you see.

I'll be busy as a beaver finding spots to protect these tender cuttings and contributing to Steemit in all the ways that I can.

Steem On!

~ Rebecca Ryan