Learning From The Walking Wounded

What form would this post have taken had the phrase "walking wounded" never entered my awareness?

An encounter with a near stranger in significant emotional pain. No recent grief or trauma but pain so clear, it was palpable - recognizably familiar, continually denied. Fifty uninterrupted minutes of talk -coincidence?

How did each searing family of origin story end? "Whatever". Estrangement from others, including loved ones? "It is what it is". The way things have turned out? "It's all good". Stoicism? Quiet strength? Self-preservation? Something else? 

Repairing damage is hard work; even removed nails leave a mark; no one escapes unscathed. And, we've all had encounters like mine with strangers, those close to us, both. How can we be of use? What do we learn about ourselves?