Train wrecks and redemption

We've all heard people say, "It's like a car wreck/train wreck – you don't want to look, but you just have to." That's the way I feel about a lot of celebrities who go through rough times. Their lives are so public that everything they do, good and bad, is there for everyone to see.

The latest train wreck is Charlie Sheen. Can we say ridiculous?! This 45-year-old father of five is out of control, in my humble opinion! Every time he opens his mouth he just makes himself seem more and more crazy!

But Charlie is not to be outshined by other notable celebrities of recent days, like:

Lindsay Lohan. When is this poor girl going to learn?! Just when you think things are going better for her, she pops up in the media again and has done something else stupid like driving while intoxicated, breaking parole, not showing up for court or most recently, stealing a necklace. She used to be cute! What happened?!

Mel Gibson. In the 90s he seemed like such an on the ball guy. He had a great professional career, and he also seemed to have it together in his personal life, too. He'd been married to his wife for a long time and they had seven children together. In 2009 Mel Gibson and his wife divorced after 28 years of marriage. I don't think any of us will soon forget his rants that were played over and over on television where he used the most vile language and said the worst things about his girlfriend, among other things. Talk about embarrassing!

Christina Aguilera. She's had her ups and downs, but she was in the news last month when she botched the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and this past Monday night she was arrested for public intoxication. Is she the next star to be headed for a downward spiral?

Britney Spears. Who can forget when she shaved her head?! She seems to be doing a little bit better these days; at least she hasn't been in the news for anything heinous recently. Only time will tell if she's really learned her lesson or not.

I don't want to paint the picture that just because you're in a rough patch in your life that all hope is lost. Redemption is possible! Take a look at Robert Downey Jr.:

We know him as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, but it wasn't too long ago that we knew him as this, the party boy who was addicted to drugs and spent time in jail:

Robert Downey Jr. has now been clean and sober since July of 2003, and I hope he can keep this up because I've had a soft spot in my heart for him ever since he was in the movie Heart and Souls in 1993. Does anyone else remember that movie?

The point is, redemption IS possible, but it's really hard to climb out of a hole once you fall in.