Why Steem

Why do I Steem ?
Why do I comment ( even if I am still not totally understanding everything)
Why do I post ( after all what interests me might not interest anyone else )
Why ?

I have worked all my life, since the age of 14 when I took a job in a fast food place to earn some extra pocket money.
I do not come from money. I do not have a silver spoon or trust fund. I am just like 99% of you - if I wanted something I had to earn the money to pay for it.

I married and had children, taking maternity leave after my daughter but back to work after that to help out with bills and extras - after all I had a newborn and needed to earn money so we could provide the best we could for her.

I had my son seven years later and knew that childcare costs for 2 children would out weigh the money I could earn so I took course, went on training days and became a childminder - I helped other mothers who wanted to work by offering them a lower cost solution. I had some great children to look after, apart from my daughter they were all boys, at one stage I was minding 7 boys !!! They kept me young and fit !!!

I went from childminding to being a bar manager in a busy golf club. I was responsible for societies, weddings, parties etc etc and again the hours were long but I loved it - loved the hustle and bustle - loved being so busy I didn't know what day it was, loved the people and the job. When my bosses sold I moved on again.

I now work in a major high street bookmakers. I work long hours, up to 60+ a weeks at times and even though it's only 18 miles from my house it takes over an hour each morning because of traffic to get there. I love my job, it's full of good and bad parts - often times I am on my with no break ( although not so much as of late ) customers get nasty if they loose, they can and have turned violent yet it is all part of the job.
For this I get paid a low wage. Those in the UK might remember the staff at McDonads going on strike for better pay - they are to get up to £10 an hour. Do they deserve it ? Proberbly but if they get it then that's just under £1.40 more than I get paid per hour - they do not deal with the amount of money I do per day, they do not deal with the threats and violence that we as a company do but we are not worth that amount of money.

So I came onto Steem at the urging of a friend.
I started posting last month and already in that month I have earned what amounts to $500 - that's over a weeks wage for me. That is money I earnt by posting and commenting. It gives me the desire to earn more. The willingness to try to make my post better. The urge to encourage other new users to step up to the plate.
With Steem I am finally able to work on financial freedom something that up until now always eluded me.
If I can make $500 this month then why can't I make more next month ? I am not restricted by a big company determining how much I can make per post. The only limiter is me.
Is Steem the answer to all my prayers ? Nope but it goes a long way towards making my prayers come true