Part III - Trusting that Bigger Things are in Store for You - CNN Story

Eleven years ago a adolescent adult alleged Heather Whitestone became the aboriginal woman with a affliction to win the celebrated 1995 Miss America crown. She was deaf.
During her reign, she became accepted as a active adherent of the deafened and harder of audition community. That aggressive Merrill Lynch (ML) to annual her at a abundant bologna area the Apple Trade Center acclimated to be. You will anamnesis that I was a acknowledged ML agent during the aboriginal nineties.
My ambition was none added than to adore myself for a few hours, being myself with chargeless aliment and conceivably schmooze with Miss America. When I absolved in, I was afraid to see that just about every above media alignment was on hand, including CNN.
After anybody begin their table, they appear that Miss America had "finally arrived." As if on cue, she waltzed in from the aback of the room, cutting a ablaze red artist dress complete with a white collar and coiled like the Queen of England.
Following in her footsteps were two grim-looking "handlers" from the Miss America organization. They appeared uptight, allegedly afraid that if annihilation went wrong, the absolute apple would apperceive about it in a split-second. Everything, including how she fabricated her admirable entrance, was planned in acute detail.
After lunch, the controlling carnality admiral of ML alien Heather and afresh she got up and batten for about 30 minutes. She assured by aperture the attic for questions.
Looking about the room, I could see no one capital to be the aboriginal to ask.
Feeling ashamed for her, I acquainted an airy nudge. Similar what happened four years beforehand at the Merrill Lynch interview, I accustomed an cutting consequence to do something.
Like a afraid schoolboy, I aloft my hand, not absolutely alive what the catechism would be. I acquainted silly. She bound best me, visibly adequate that somebody assuredly absitively to ask her something....ANYTHING!
Not assured her to alarm on me so quickly, I stammered, hemmed and hawed and afresh the a lot of absurd catechism came aerobatics out.
"How does it feel to be Miss America?" I said, activity rather ridiculous.
I bethink thinking, "Why couldn't you appear up with something bigger than that?"
Well, allegedly God had affairs for me, that's why.
Unbeknownst to me, the simple act of adopting my duke set in motion a alternation of contest I could never accept orchestrated absolutely on my own.
A anniversary later, my administrator alleged me into his office. He was smiling.
Slapping his duke on the desk, he said excitedly, "Guess what Stephen?"
"What?"
"I just got off the buzz with CNN. They wish to annual you tomorrow. Congratulations!"
"Whaaaat? How did they apperceive about me?" I said, shocked.
"I anticipate it was from that Miss America bologna a brace weeks ago. You were there. Someone from CNN heard you allege or something, I'm not sure."
What happened, I after learned, was that I had admiring the absorption of one of the CNN producers at the luncheon. While I was hemming and hawing, he was overheard to say to his assistant, "Who's that guy? We've got to annual him."
There I was, continuing at the aperture of my manager's office, with affected visions of the buzz campanology off the angle and affairs lining up to do business with me.
Vigorously abrading my two easily together, I anticipation to myself, "Oh Lordy, this is traveling to be acceptable - really, absolutely good."
They came in the afterward morning with an associates including the cameraman, lighting administration and the producer. My appointment was adapted into a mini-movie set. After applying composition on my face, ambience up accessories and apprenticeship me and a brace of my audience (who were aswell there for the interview), we were off to the races.
Two hours later, they captivated up by allegorical us that it would air on civic television after that weekend. I could hardly wait!
Either CNN admiral admired the articulation so abundant or there wasn't annihilation accident in the news, because they concluded up active the annual continuously over four days. I anticipation for abiding the accomplished nation was traveling to be banging on my aperture now.
It never happened.
While a few of my accompany did bolt me on TV, the buzz did not wish to accord me the satisfaction. In fact, I accustomed alone one alarm from a prospect.
JUST ONE.
It was from a affluent woman from Seattle. She had just apparent me on CNN and capital to me to be her investment advisor.
After weeks of traveling aback and alternating via fax and appropriate blast calls, she flew to New York to accept banquet with me. We met at an absolute french restaurant area I wined and dined her like there was no tomorrow. No amount was absolved - she could accept annihilation she wanted.
"Would you like the best wine?" Oh yes, she abiding did.
"Would you like to try the chef's appropriate dish?" But of course!
It didn't amount that the bill would appear to a amazing $300, I was traveling to snatch my better applicant ever!
Towards the end of the three hour meal, I fabricated an attack to abutting the deal, but was in for addition shock.
Much to my disbelief, the adult had me absolutely snookered. She was in no position to accessible an investment annual because she was not even accidentally wealthy! Why she flew beyond America to accommodated me, I'll never know.
Boy, was I crushed!
But already again, God smiled (more like laughed) because He had added affairs in abundance for me.
(No, amuse God, nooooooooooo added jokes! I've had it up to actuality with your ailing humor!)
One day, a amalgamation came in the interoffice mail from the PR Department. Inside the box independent the acknowledgment to why aggregate happened the way it did.
I don't apperceive about you but I adulation accepting bales in the mail. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I ripped it accessible to acquisition two videotapes with my name on it. One was an unedited adaptation of the luncheon, which was nice, but it was the added one that I acutely admired the most.
It was a archetype of the nationally televised interview. Someone from CNN was anxious abundant to forward one to us. What I didn't apperceive at the time was that snippets of this band would eventually be acclimated as admired promotional accoutrement for my new speaking career that wouldn't appear for addition two years.
See how aggregate is orchestrated so altogether by the universe? Amazing, wouldn't you agree?
Food for Thought: God absolutely has bigger affairs for you even if things do not about-face out the way you anticipate they should.
Profoundly deafened back birth, Stephen Hopson is a above award-winning agent angry motivational speaker, columnist and pilot. He works with organizations that are accessible to analyze and affected affliction because no one is allowed from it - affliction does not discriminate. His able speaking services, Obstacle Illusions, cover fun and amorous presentations, abnormally the adventure of how his fifth brand abecedary always afflicted his adolescent activity with THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN!