My Ethereum story started in 2017 still holding strong in 2026 smart contracts changed how I think about money

Back in 2017 I jumped into crypto with Bitcoin but Ethereum caught my eye because of smart contracts. I thought wow this is not just digital gold its programmable money. I started DCAing ETH around 300 to 400 dollars buying small amounts every month from my salary. Felt like betting on the future of the internet. By 2018 bear market I was down big but kept adding whenever I could. The DeFi summer in 2020 was mind blowing I tried yield farming on Uniswap Compound Aave made some side income and learned a ton about risks. Lost a bit on rugs and impermanent loss but overall came out ahead. Then NFTs exploded in 2021 I minted a few fun pieces and sold some at the top. Never went all in just played around. The merge to proof of stake in 2022 was huge I started staking my ETH on Lido and Rocket Pool earning rewards while holding. Through 2022 and 2023 bear I never sold a single ETH just kept staking and DCAing. Layer 2s like Arbitrum Optimism Base made everything cheaper and faster I use them daily for swaps transfers without crazy gas fees. In 2025 ETH ETFs launched big inflows made me feel validated. Now in March 2026 ETH around 2150 after some dips this year. My stack from years of holding and staking is worth a lot more than I ever imagined. Not retired rich but enough to cover travel pay off some debt and give me freedom to work on side projects I love. More importantly Ethereum taught me about decentralization ownership and building on open systems. Its not just price its the ecosystem dapps wallets communities. In a world of centralized apps and surveillance ETH feels like the open alternative. Whats your Ethereum story when did you start still holding or using DeFi NFTs staking share the vibes no FUD just why it matters to you.