From Enemies to Allies
From Enemies to Allies
I'd like you to meet my dear friend, Mr. Rohom Khonsari
If you asked me who he was 8 years ago, I would have used much more colorful words to describe him. In a sense, he was the enemy... and in my eyes, it was his personal mission to ruin my life.
I was so wrong.
See, Rohom was the prosecutor on my DUI Manslaughter case. It was his JOB to put me in prison for 15 years. Day in and day out, he spent two years dedicated to making that happen.
That all changed when I was sitting in prison watching my story unfold on ABC 20/20. Throughout the entire show, he allowed the audience to see his role as the prosecutor and why he was working so hard to put me in prison: I. Took. A. Life.
At the end of the episode, Rohom was asked if he felt Laura would want me to go to prison.... and he said no. He went on to explain that if a similar situation would have happened with his best friend--he would not want his friend in prison for their mistake.
In that very moment, I opened my eyes. I opened my eyes to the fact that this man was simply DOING HIS JOB. His JOB was to put me in prison. That didn't mean that he personally felt that I should rot away behind bars. It was a harsh reminder that my actions that night impacted more people than I will ever know... and I can't image what it was like for him to be the prosecutor on my case.
Fast forward a few years to when I returned home from prison. I was working at a restaurant and in walked Rohom. This was the first time that I had seen him since court. My heart dropped and I immediately thought that I was going to throw up. Instead, I walked right over to his table, said hi and wished him well. Rohom handed me a business card, told me that I could reach out if I needed anything and attempted to shake my hand.
I didn't shake his hand. I gave him a hug.
I gave him a hug and told him that I understood he was just doing his job.
Today, Rohom and I speak together. We share the stage and tell our story -- from two VERY different perspectives -- of how one decision can change your life forever. We know that we will not impact each and every person in the audience. if we can impact just one life at each event, we've done our job... that one life matters.
Life is far too short to hold grudges or blame others for your circumstance. Be quick to take responsibility for your actions and apologize when you're wrong. You'll be amazed at how many doors will open when you take the high road.
JESSICA RASDALL // NATIONAL SPEAKER & PUBLIC SPEAKING STRATEGIST
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | PINTEREST
Jessica Rasdall is your secret weapon to achieving the speaking success you desire. As a professional speaker and coach for female entrepreneurs, she is dedicated to partnering with women business owner to craft stories and presentation that connect with their audience and help them stand out in a saturated market.