scars and regret

I've always had a problem with the phrase 'you should never regret anything'

Why not? Why shouldn't I regret that some of my actions and words have hurt people? Should I be that callous? Really?

I know that who I am now is made up of experiences both good and bad. I know that I still have a whole lot more of growing up to do. I know that without 'ucking some stuff up I wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn from them and thus might be a shallower (oh god is that possible??) person now. I know that most of my best relationships have involved dumb words and stupid actions from both sides. Doesn't mean I don't regret hurting that person even if it did all turn out okay or that I would take back every harsh word I've said, I still believe that the bulk of them needed to be said, just rephrased or better timed perhaps. And yes, there are a portion of things that should never have been uttered. Mostly careless throw away comments that you don't realise what you've said until it's out of your mouth and it's all too late.

So I guess it's a dual-edged thingy..I regret that I've hurt people but I don't regret that I learnt from it or some of the consequences.

We are all made up of scars I guess. Some visible, some not so much. I guess it's what we learn from them that makes all the difference. "I really shouldn't try to sweep up broken glass with my bare foot" for instance or "I'll just move this sharp pointy thing now rather than wait until I eventually do cut my leg open on it" or maybe "oh, that's why they said that...might try to be less of a twonk in the future" Without those scars, we wouldn't have learnt that fire is hot or rough bits of metal shouldn't be rubbed up against your leg..doesn't mean they didn't hurt at the time. Doesn't mean that you would rather not have your body cris-crossed with white lines and dots and weird patches.