We needed them. You don't want to say it and neither do I, but one of us has to. We needed them. We needed the people who have left us. We needed the people who stabbed us in the back and the people who have broken our heart. We needed the people who bullied us in grade school.We needed them and so many others. We needed all these people who were wrong to have in our lives forever. I know you're asking why. I know having these people hurt. I know dealing with it at the time sucked. I know that you wish you could rewind and erase them all from your life, but you can't. More importantly? You shouldn't. You know why? What we gain from the hurt and betrayal? What we gain from them? That is worth so much more.

From the people who leave us? We gain the knowledge that we can stand on our own. We gain insight on the idea of sticking with someone. We gain room in our lives for people who will stay. We are forced to know that we are exceptional without anyone else. We gain strength.

From the people who stab us in the back? We gain a sense of loyalty, we now will never do this to someone else. We gain a sense of caution, we will now be careful with who we trust. We, now, know that actions speak louder than words. We gain more strength.

From the people who break our hearts? We learn that we can piece ourselves together again. We figure out what love means to us. We gain the knowledge we are worth more than the heartbreak and the tears that come with it. We gain the knowledge that there is something greater out there for us. We, again, gain more strength.

From the people who bullied us? We learn how words can hurt. We learn that the world is not fair. We learn to treat others how we would like to be treated. We, eventually learn that the things they said and did to us were wrong, that we deserve common human decency. We continue to gain strength.