I have two thoughts about leaving.
Expected or Unexpected
Sometimes "leaving" is unexpected. There is a life event that takes over, which causes something to give - sometimes that is the Steem community.
Sometimes people plan their exit, which in that case I would hope they would be willing to say proper goodbyes.
Temporary or Forever
I have had to "leave" Steem for weeks at a time, but I have always come back. Sometimes taking a step back gives us a new found appreciation for what we have. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
But to leave for good, at this stage of the game, is immature. I agree that there is a party or two yet to come.
Will blogging be the future of Steem? Maybe yes. Maybe no. I can still participate, even if the main activity that brought me here is not the main focus anymore.
Expected or unexpected, I would think there is still time to choose to say goodbye or not?
I think a temporary goodbye for only a few weeks could warrant a message, especially if you happened to produce particular content week on week - I've seen people post these messages out frequently actually.
I think so, and it's likely there will be things to participate in that could not be imagined at the start :)
Two examples:
Expecting a baby - sent a message out in advance, let people know you will be away
Experiencing a death - maybe the grief is too much to write a post
The beautiful thing about life and Steem is that our experiences are unique - there is not a single pattern that everyone will follow.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
Those are good examples to compare, thank you for the thought-provoking comments :)