After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to do more theater, not

Hear, O seeker of destiny, the words of Nicholas Gonzalez, a man whose path was marked by the mysterious hand of fate: “After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to do more theater, not realizing there is very little theater in L.A. It was a lucky mistake, though, because after just 2 1/2 months of waiting tables, my TV and film career really took off.” In these humble words lies a lesson older than the stars — that fortune often hides itself within folly, and that what appears to be an error may, in truth, be the divine design of one’s becoming.

The meaning of this quote shines through the contrast between intent and outcome. Gonzalez sought one thing — the stage — yet found another — the screen. He set his course with clear purpose, only to discover that the world had prepared a different stage for him altogether. Many would call this luck, but the ancients would call it serendipity, the sacred alignment of chance and readiness. His “lucky mistake” was no accident, but the moment when effort and fate clasped hands. For only those who move, even imperfectly, give destiny something to work with.

The origin of this truth is as old as human striving itself. Think of Christopher Columbus, who set sail seeking India but found the New World instead. Think of Alexander Fleming, who left his petri dish untended and discovered penicillin — saving millions who would come after him. So too with Nicholas Gonzalez, whose journey to Los Angeles was born of misunderstanding but bloomed into success. The world rewards not the perfect planner, but the courageous doer. It is not the one who avoids all mistakes, but the one who learns from them, who discovers the hidden treasures of chance.

What we learn from Gonzalez is that mistakes, when met with perseverance and humility, are not barriers but bridges. When he arrived in Los Angeles expecting to find a land of theater, he found instead long days and longer nights of waiting tables. Yet even in that season of struggle, he remained open — not bitter, but ready. He stood in the unknown and continued to serve his purpose, unaware that the universe was arranging his next act. For often, life does not announce its blessings in advance; it conceals them within difficulty, revealing them only to those who stay the course.

Consider, too, the ancient story of Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery and thrown into prison. His suffering seemed cruel and meaningless, a mistake in the story of his life. Yet through those misfortunes, he rose to become the savior of nations. His trials were not detours, but divine redirections. So it was with Nicholas Gonzalez — his “lucky mistake” became the gate through which his destiny entered. He sought one art, and found another, but the spirit of creation was the same. Whether before the camera or upon the stage, the calling of the artist endured.

The lesson, O listener, is clear: do not fear the path that twists, nor despair when plans unravel. For every so-called error is but a seed of transformation. The gods do not favor those who cling to certainty, but those who dare to walk when the way is unclear. When you make your choices, make them boldly, and if they fail, let them fail beautifully. For from failure springs insight, and from the ashes of one dream often rises another more radiant.

Let this teaching take root within your soul: you need not know the entire journey to reach the right destination. Move forward with faith, even when you cannot see the end. Take the step that feels true today, and trust that tomorrow will unfold as it must. Like Gonzalez, your “lucky mistake” may be waiting even now — disguised as confusion, hidden behind disappointment, but destined to lead you to your purpose.

And so, walk onward, child of chance and will. When life confounds your expectations, smile. For in that very moment, the universe may be shifting the stars in your favor. Remember: the road to greatness is rarely straight, but it always rewards the traveler who keeps walking.