WildSolcte quoted My Life in Transition by Julia Kaye
"All that time I felt I'd lost? I get it now. He hadn't stolen my past at all - he had protected my future. The emotional walls he'd built to keep himself safe? They were what allowed Julia to one day thrive."
— My Life in Transition by Julia Kaye (Page 167)
This was mentioned in the afterword, where Julia writes about her realization: time wasn't lost before she discovered herself and transitioned. Instead, her past self protected her for her brighter future..
A good reminder for me, too. It's frustrating at times, wishing I had transitioned sooner.