I found myself thinking about the many people I miss on this platform.

I have been on this platform for less than three years, but even in such a relatively short period of time, some authors I read regularly have left it. Everyone has their own reasons for this. Some did it because of busyness in real life, some were disappointed in the level of earnings, and some had conflicts with other authors.

I'd say they are part of the "backbone" of the Steemit community!

I agree with you on this. These are well-known authors who are active members of the community.

It's one of the things I really like about Steemit

Steemit consists of thousands of faces, it is doomed to change over time, but change can always be for the better 😀