Edgar Bergen

Once there lived in Decatur, Illinois, a boy who was deeply interested in photography. He carefully saved his money to buy a certain book and happily he ordered it. The publisher, however, made a mistake in his order and instead of sending the book on photography, he sent a book on ventriloquism. This boy was not interested in ventriloquism. In fact, he did not even know what it was.
He didn’t know he could send the book back and probably he didn’t have the money for postage, anyway. He could have put the book aside and nursed his disappointment. Instead, he began reading it and he became interested. He learned to throw his voice and eventually got a wooden dummy which he named, Charlie McCarthy. Out of disappointment, Edgar Bergen built a great career.

Now here lies a question: Was it a mistake of the publisher or was it the providential hand of the Universe that he was sent the wrong book? Who can say? And in the face of our disappointments, before we resign ourselves to hopeless despair, let us ask, “Is this disappointment the Universe’s appointment?”