Back in 2014, my friend Jake was one of those early tech enthusiasts who couldn't stop talking about Bitcoin. He'd lecture anyone who'd listen about how it was the "future of money." Most of us just rolled our eyes, thinking it was another passing tech fad. Jake even mined Bitcoin on his old, noisy rig in the basement, accumulating what we all thought were just worthless digital coins.

Fast forward to 2021, and Jake's basement stash had turned into a small fortune. He cashed out a chunk and bought a cozy cabin in the mountains. At our next reunion, he joked, "Remember when you all thought I was crazy? Drinks are on me!" We laughed, realizing that sometimes the future sneaks up on you, one digital coin at a time.