REDEMPTION

What do a lame horse, a frozen fugitive, and a demoralized executive have in common? They all came into my life this week, desperately needing redemption.

The horse: "You may want to consider just putting her down," were the devastating words from our local vet. The beautiful young Mustang we had invested so much time training had just been diagnosed with ringbone, a degenerative bone disease that was causing her to walk with a severe limp.

The fugitive: The knock on our door early Sunday morning revealed a police officer saying a fugitive was hiding in the bushes on the shore of the reservoir that borders our land. Soon, the sheriff and other cops arrived, and he was apprehended after spending the night alone in 27-degree weather. I found out later that this was the first time the young man had been arrested.

The executive: A high-potential leader of a Fortune 500 company I used to coach called me, panicking about an ugly meeting he had just had with his CEO. This was one of their first direct interactions. My coachee's usually upbeat and confident tone was gone as he asked me how he could redeem himself.

One of Webster's definitions for redeem/redemption is "to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental." I have been lucky to work for leaders who've allowed me to learn from my mess-ups and bounce back. Sadly, I have also witnessed others quickly write people off after a single negative interaction. I sincerely hope my past coachee's CEO is the former kind of leader. Similarly, I hope our town's legal system allows the frozen fugitive a second chance.

Thankfully, I can at least speak to the outcome of the lame horse. We decided not to put her down. My dad adopted her and has found a way to use her for short rides with his grandchildren without aggravating her condition. Miraculously, her limp is getting much less noticeable. He is a man who believes in second chances, so maybe that is somehow having a healing effect on the horse.