Toward the beginning of my consultancy I approached a public television station to help them in their fundraising efforts.

My overture wasn't encouraged, to say the least. Indeed, I felt I was treated very impolitely, and this came as a surprise. I expected more from what was then thought of as a polished information and entertainment source.

Fast-forward about five years...

The same station approached me about consulting to assist in improving their fundraising program.

While it would have added a nice credit to my client list, and working with them might have opened the door to helping other PBS stations, I declined.

My flummoxed contact asked, "Why won't you help us?"

I carefully explained how I had been crassly rebuffed, and now I was reciprocating, albeit more politely.

If there is one benefit to being in a business or a profession for many years it is that you get to see the same people, situations, and even opportunities, twice or more.

When you make a mistake, sooner or later you may have a chance to redeem yourself, to turn right at the fork in the road, instead of left. Literally, you can take both the road less traveled and the one with potholes from overuse.

Right now, during this recession, businesses and professionals are doing many things out of greed, fear, and desperation, though they would argue they are acting from necessity.

Salaries, benefits, and jobs are being cut, in some cases for reasons of political intrigue and in others to profiteer. For many with little compassion this is a chance to seize an unfair advantage, because the excuse, "It's the economy!" sounds so reasonable.

The same people shouldn't be surprised when a sense of stability is restored that those they mistreated or took advantage of will find a way to return the favor.

It's an old cliche but an apt one: What goes around; comes around.