I agree with Jules.

I would add that I don’t think there’s a way to avoid the scarring and that’s good and bad.

Good because that scarring forces us to evolve. We should proudly display the damn scarring to prove we have survived. Yet again.

Bad because every time we scar it takes a toll on our mental and physical health, no matter how well we appear to bounce back.

You have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself. You are never too old for that. No matter how many realizations it takes.