I wish I could recall what first drew my attention to this site, or what I originally envisioned getting from it. Perhaps it wasn't that specific, what I envisioned; as is the blank canvas to a painter.

There isn't always something for me to get out of it.. sometimes I have hopes and expectations that aren't a match for my experience either. But I try to look at it as the simple opportunity to interact with a wider spectrum of people, and to become progressively better at doing so, both for my own benefit and for that of all those with whom I come into contact.

Not that this isn't the same spectrum of people one would meet anywhere else. But I think that here, we're able to put ourselves out there a bit more, with each other. Wearing hearts on sleeves and such. Real talk.

Because in real life, for instance, people don't as often express to you if they've misunderstood or failed to understand something you've said, or that they take issue with something you've said, and not finding these things out we don't get the same opportunity to improve on our methods as we do here, where people are much more apt to let you know, to request clarification.

It helps me to better know myself through the prism of communication with others. What I get out of it continues to evolve, as hopefully I do also.