In President Reagan's Interview with Tom Brokaw, right before he left the White House in 1989, Reagan talked about his deep disappointment as a young man when he did not get a job as a manager in the sporting goods department at Montgomery Ward. But soon thereafter he landed a job as a sports announcer, which lead him to his career in entertainment, which lead to his career in politics, which lead to his becoming President of the United States. He made the point that, if he had gotten the job at Montgomery Ward, he might still be working there instead of President of the United States. President Reagan made the point that an event that was supposedly "bad" led to something better than he could have hoped.
Later in the interview, he commented about the first girl he loved and how he had been engaged to her but circumstances took them to different places and they never married. He made the point that he would not have his wonderful marriage with Nancy if that earlier relationship had not failed. As most people who follow politics know, the Reagans had a legendary kind of love.
I understand what President Reagan was saying. Some of the best things that have come into my life grew out of circumstances I thought were the worst events in my life. If I hadn't lost my corporate job in Houston, Texas, I would likely not be a constitutional lawyer in the Attorney General's office. If I had not gone through the painful divorce I did, I would not have Cathy and my two step kids.
