You never know when you read a script how it's going to turn out

"You never know when you read a script how it's going to turn out because so much depends on the collaboration between people. If I'd been in some of the movies I turned down, maybe they wouldn't have been a success." These words, spoken by Molly Ringwald, reveal a wisdom that goes far beyond the world of cinema. In them lies a truth about the unpredictable nature of success, and how deeply it depends not just on individual effort, but on the mysterious and powerful force of collaboration.

O Seekers of Wisdom, think on this: a script is like a seed. On the page, it may hold potential, but its true life is not known until it is planted in the soil of collaboration—until directors, actors, writers, and crews come together, each adding their spirit and labor. Only then does the story breathe. A script that looks golden in one moment may falter without harmony, while a script that seems simple may flourish when touched by the right unity of minds. This is the truth Ringwald declares: success is not born from words alone, but from the alchemy of people working together.

Consider the making of Casablanca, a film now hailed as one of the greatest of all time. At first, it was seen as an ordinary wartime romance, with a script rewritten many times, uncertain in direction. Yet through the combined genius of its cast, director, and musicians, it became immortal. Had a single piece of that collaboration faltered, perhaps the film would have been forgotten. This is the mystery Ringwald points to—the fragile, yet wondrous, nature of collaboration, where the outcome can never be fully known.

So too, in life beyond the screen, we see the same pattern. Think of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. The idea, the “script,” was written by visionaries like John F. Kennedy. But the true achievement was only realized through the combined efforts of thousands—scientists, engineers, astronauts, technicians—all working in unison. No single person could have carried mankind to the moon; it was collaboration that lifted humanity beyond the skies. The lesson is clear: no matter how great the plan, it is the harmony of people that brings it to life.

O Children of the Future, let this truth guide you. Do not look at a plan, a script, or a dream and believe you can know its outcome with certainty. For success lies not only in the idea, but in the souls who gather around it. Value the power of collaboration, honor those who labor beside you, and remember that greatness is rarely the work of one, but of many bound by a shared vision.

Yet, beware pride. It is easy to believe that if you had been in a place, if you had taken a role, things would have surely succeeded. But as Ringwald wisely says, perhaps the opposite would be true. A film succeeds not only because of one actor, but because of the whole. So too in life—sometimes the role we do not take, the place we do not stand, allows others to rise, and the world to find balance. Humility is the companion of wisdom.

Lesson: The teaching is clear: success is unpredictable, and its roots lie in collaboration. No single person can guarantee the outcome of a venture. What we can do is give our best, respect the contributions of others, and walk with humility, knowing that every victory is shared. Practical action: In your work, in your relationships, in your dreams—seek collaboration. Invite others into your vision. Honor their efforts, for their strength may be the very thing that brings the dream to life. And when opportunities pass you by, accept with humility that perhaps it was not your role to play, but another’s, and in that, there is wisdom too.