True Destiny; If Life is a Journey, Why go it alone?

To error is human, to forgive is not company policy. How many times have we heard those words during our career. Even more depressing is that we get this same thing from those who claim to be friends and loved ones. I for one am far from perfect and make mistakes on a daily if not hourly basis. I would hate to think that there is no redemption for me. None of us, to repeat, is perfect, and we are all in need of forgiveness from time to time. But even more importantly than forgiveness we all need to know that we have a second chance at things. In my book I have a chapter called "Is it really three strikes and you're Out?" I try to make the case that no matter what we do, whether it's mess up big time, or just a slip up, we all deserve a second chance. I would hate to think that just because I messed up one time in my life that I am doomed to walk the planet with a big "L" on my forehead for looser. And yet there are people out there who are unwilling to forgive and don't ever ask them to forget when someone has done them wrong. I am a firm believer in giving a second chance, and when required a third and fourth chance. I am not one to be walk on, but at the same time I know people make mistakes and an element of grace goes a long way.

I am always amazed at people who sit there with this look of amazement on their face when someone makes a mistake or takes a miss-step. It's like they can't envision someone messing up. When I was a licensed financial planner I had to carry a One Million Dollar Errors and Omissions policy, in the event that I made a mistake with a client. Think about it, I wasn't ever planning to make a mistake, but they do happen, and just in case I had to be covered. So here I am doing my chosen profession and because the possibility exist that I could make a mistake I need insurance. Seems to me that the rest of the world should realize that mistakes happen and it is as much a part of everyday life as walking, talking, breathing, etc.

I have a friend who made a mistake almost 20 years ago when he was very young. Because of this it has hampered his ability to get certain jobs, and quite frankly has really hurt him career wise. Now I am not defending what he did, although I think it was pretty tame compared to what happens today in many areas. Anyway, this situation has always been thrown up in his face. Hey if one has paid their debt to society, then the debt has been paid, let it go. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, ever wonder why there are no stones being thrown? We all mess up from time to time, sometimes they are small mess ups, other times they are huge, but does it really matter what the mess up is. We don't need to tell someone they did something wrong, they already know it. If they don't realize it, maybe it really isn't their fault, maybe they just didn't know. God forbid there should be a mistake that is completely innocent and without guile. Not every mistake is made on purpose. Besides, if someone does something on purpose you can't classify it as a mistake. Something done on purpose is premeditated and at that point you deserve to have the book thrown at you. Most mistakes are innocent at best, and deserve to be taken with a grain of salt.

I guess I say all that to say this: To Error is human, to forgive is truly Divine, and to forget, well that puts you right to the head of the line of good people. We all will make mistakes in life, every one of us. And I for one am not willing to cast the first stone, after all we do live in glass houses. Think about it......