This is an excellent anecdote. I'm very different to you, and rarely get massively upset over criticism. I even find interesting points for improvement in terrible, potentially vindictive reviews (as I wrote about here, for instance). But yes, criticism often still hurts. To paraphrase Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, the trick is not minding that it hurts. And that ability is rather personality/temperament dependant.

Speaking of films directed by David Lean, after the critics duffed up Ryan's Daughter in 1970, he was so hurt he didn't make another film until A Passage to India in 1984, which ended up being his final film. If that doesn't make you hate critics, I don't know what will (especially as Ryan's Daughter is a blatant masterpiece and now critically revered). On the other hand, I wish Lean had been thicker skinned.

Sorry for the huge tangent in this comment. I should add that I admire the way you determine to learn from (valid) criticism regardless of the tears, etc. Much respect. :)