Growing Up?

So I'm making a new friend, and the more I learn about him the more I realize that he's pretty damaged goods. Which is fine. But the fact that that realization did not immediately make me want to take care of and/or fix him, to think that I'm the one who could do that, could undo past hurt and damages...well, I think that's a huge step for me. I have this tendency to collect troubled people. Mom used to call them my "lost puppies." And I don't mean that to imply that I didn't/don't care for these people. But learning how to initially like someone for a reason other than taking care of them is good for me. And, I would venture to guess, them as well.