What I love the most about personal finance blogging

As temperatures rise into the 110s here in the sweltering desert Southwest, I'm inside in the A/C reflecting on how wonderful this whole blogging adventure in the personal finance community has been. Seriously, you people rock. Every one of you.

I've never been one to appreciate the art of meeting people, but blogging has fundamentally turned that on its head for me. And that's what I truly love the most in this whole experience.

Sure, I enjoy writing, but this wouldn't be nearly as much fun and satisfying if nobody read my stuff. I write knowing that people are taking the time out of their busy day to read what I've created, to consider my words and [hopefully] appreciate my point of view.

That's pretty damn humbling.

I consider my readers to be my friends - some of whom I've actually met in "real life", and others I WILL certainly meet once we begin traveling the country full-time.

I love knowing that my words resonate with others. But in the same breath, it is also awesome to know just how much blogging has made me a more well-rounded person. It makes me think. It gets me creative. It requires me to not only consider my own thoughts but also the thoughts of other bloggers. Some of you have some truly amazing perspectives on life and money.

I've learned a ton from you all. I get ideas and use those ideas to shape my own approach to blogging, retirement and life in general. And that is what good communities do; they shape the people within. If the community is bad ass, their members will also be bad ass. Or, perhaps better stated - Bad ass members make bad ass communities.

This community IS bad ass, and it has shaped me in fundamental ways, ways that I never expected when I first began this journey. It's what I love the most about this blogging adventure.

The community.

What about you? What do you love the most about blogging? Do you get the same warm and fuzzy feeling about the community that you're in?