A node allows you to validate your own transactions. Not only this but you can validate the current supply of bitcoin.
And running a full 2-way node on the decentralized peer-to-peer network, I see gigabytes of block, tx, mempool, and protocol data that my node sends to your nodes, thereby mutually participating, strengthening, and protecting the network itself. Truly a system of the people, for the people, and by ... Satoshi. Bullish indeed.