### INTRODUCTION Hello fellow and sister Steemians! Before I dive into this Introduction, I must pause to say a heart-felt , “Thank you” to my new friends in the #newbieresteem community, specifically @davemccoy and @goldendawne for their solid encouragement to pole-vault over my “mental block”, and just get this Intro done! ![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTn64PZhPbvkTd5XLojRB1oGjXUVSHXyAFdGKVT8mw3b1/image.png) My name is Sharon Ishmael. My Steemit name is “kismet2018”. I chose “kismet” meaning “destiny” or “fate”. That is precisely how I see this incredible platform and its potential to change a human life, anywhere on this planet! Imagine, a person just needs a cellphone and an email address to begin a life-changing journey, limited ONLY by his/her own creativity and imagination! Before I take off down the Steemit track, let me stop and share a bit about who I am. I am an energetic 58 1/2 year-old, female, native of Trinidad & Tobago. I have had the honor and thrill to have lived, most of the last 43 years in Calgary, Alberta, Canada – “The Jewel of the Canadian Rockies”, and home of the 1988 Winter Olympics! ### Who am I? https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Daughter”*** … “Only child”! In fact, I am the only known offspring of Dad’s and Mom’s, ages 83 ½ and 81 ½ years old, respectively. (When I read this to my Mom, she reacted to “known offspring”!) Each new day they are gifted with health, strength and happiness, translates into another grateful day for me! They are two remarkable humans, I am deeply honored and blessed to call “parents”. Their legacy to this planet is a busy and abundant life, giving and living! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Mother”*** ... of two beautiful, talented, amazing human adults - a 28-year old woman and a 31-year old man. I am deeply honored and blessed to call them “my children”, with my first “grandchild” arriving this summer! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Business Owner”*** … brokering essential services in 25 countries. Learning , playing, making friends on the Steemit global platform is what I do in my “real life”, in my “real business!” Life is all about creating, building, nurturing relationships and most of all, making a difference! That’s what I do! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Business Partner”***... Team Leader of 150 business partners! We are a team, with one mission – to help people help themselves! It’s a satisfying journey being inspired and inspiring, learning and mentoring, receiving and giving! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“GalaxyS7 Camera Enthusiast”*** …. I am not a photographer or an artist, but I do have a phone with an incredible camera and amazing photo apps. In Calgary, Nature has spoiled us abundantly with her finest artistry and splendor. Capturing that with my Galaxy S7 every opportunity I get, is what I do, as I live my life! Whether business, social, personal, I am armed with my S7, allowing me to capture precious surprises, and memories! My “Drive-bys” are shots taken, often times hanging out a moving vehicle window, screaming, “Shoot” into my voice-activated camera. I can’t say enough about this camera. I never cease to be amazed by what “She” captures! She sees the world through truly magnificent “lenses”! ###### Drive-by shot of the Calgary Tower, 9th Avenue, SW ![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmY9SbJ128NfTD9svKV3XNT6jN3B3CjpbbhJhV1yMYT1TC/image.png) https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Wow Collector”***… My WOWs are defined by Einstein’s quote – “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” That coincidences exist, is wonderful! That they are not “accidental” or “non-random”, is a “mind-blow”! Often times “coincidences” are intensely personal, small, meaningless to anyone else, yet loaded with deep significance for a person!! I’ve noticed the more we anticipate these, the more they happen! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Beauty Discoverer”*** … Finding beauty in unlikely places and situations is an activity that never leaves me dissatisfied! The more dire the situation or circumstance the brighter the beauty once found! I agree with John Lubbock, “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ###### “What we see depends mainly on what we look for." (J. Lubbock) This is really a stormy night! Tell THAT to the sparkles on the windshield! ![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUXuq8Sf4c3nu2VtQ6dwBPbjd14w2JEWQ784BgR1LSEdL/image.png) https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Memes Collector & Creator”***…. I love memes, quotes, bumper stickers, “punchy” shots of truth, random nuggets of wisdom! I enjoy creating, collecting and sharing. Wayne Dyer reminds us, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ###### I live by this! ![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdc5r4cpA1HfDWGcJtQqR6otuFMspcVgXSWWRv19MZ9Ho/image.png) https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Friend to Many”*** … I live life with a deep “awareness” that nothing is random and we come into each other’s lives for reasons, most times unknown to us. As it sometimes goes, the very next stranger we meet could end up being a heart-bonded friend. It happens! Exploring, enjoying and sharing that journey with friends, strangers, strangers-who-become-friends, Is a very joyous ride! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Life-long Learner”"*** …. Our planet, the universe, people, life are packed with mysteries. The search and discoveries are truly the “spice of life”! When O.W. Holmes said, “A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions,”, he is right! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Information Sharer”*** … “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48) . When I discover ANYTHING that is good, useful, exciting, beneficial, it’s NOT mine to hoard! It’s not “accidental” that I got the information anyway, making it a moral and ethical obligation to “pass it along”! The number of people I have told, in the last 37 days, about Steemit is too large to count! How could I not share?! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Observer of Life and the Human Animal”*** … In my opinion, there is truly no other more fascinating study! The human animal is incredibly talented, brilliant, creative, complicated, full of contradictions, capable of altruism, yet depraved cruelty. Regardless, I have noticed we ALL need to feel valued, and we feel fulfilled when we can make a difference! Steemit is an incredible system that satisfies both “needs”! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Life and People Enthusiast”*** … I talk a lot but I also love hearing people’s stories! Every human has a personal, private story – the story of their life, living it from the” inside of their skin”. I love hearing that “inside story”! That is a project I will like to do on Steemit – Give a voice to non-technology folks and honor them by telling their story! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ***“Encourager”*** … My license plate says ITLLBOK … It’ll be ok. I live my life with this attitude and I make it my mission to always share hope, regardless of how bleak circumstances might be or how hopeless we feel. “While there is life, there is hope”! https://steemitimages.com/DQmUio9anasL7NXTchZ4yL53YUaFkZm6EFXQV2GBksLQ1nA/7.gif ### Acknowledgements and Thanks! The PAL/MSP, #newbieresteemday communities on Discord are communities of intelligent and amazing “Encouragers”! Their mission is to help and encourage minnows! Wow!! To know and learn from them fills me with profound excitement and gratitude! If there is ever a contest for Steemit Angels I know many folks from this community would be top contenders – special shout-out to @davemccoy, @goldendawne, @beeyou, @lynnecole1, @mudcat36, @seaslim, @@bashadow ... Special thanks to @davemccoy for the title of this blog and for helping with the formatting! Wouldn't have made it without his help today! Too many to count, contests and challenges Steemians - - @juliank, @photocontests, @photofeed, Steemians whose work I enjoy are many - @derekkind,, @intrepidphotos, @perceptualflaws to name just a few.. I believe we always get what we NEED when we need it! I also believe we have whatever we need to make or take the next step! Here is to our journey together, learning to be and become good “Steemit Citizens”. ![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYh3VTAWSWhdUkDbGn7jjN75MoABo1h2rWJwTG9eAxwER/image.png)