Someone Else's Words

Just finished the book "Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld. I thought this was the truest part in the book. Saddest too, I think. It's too bad that so often, getting our crap together involves hurting someone else:

"None of which justifies how I acted. I was wrong, I screwed up - how else can I say it? But there was plenty I learned from Dave. Later, after all that happened between Cross Sugarman and me, I even saw Dave as practice for Cross, as preparation. He made me ready...there are people we treat wrong, and later, we're prepared to treat other people right. Perhaps this sounds mercenary, but I feel grateful for these trial relationships, and I would like to think it all evens out - surely, unknowingly, I have served as practice for other people."