“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” (Marilyn Monroe)

The other evening, I watched Solo Mio, a delightful comedy starring Kevin James as a groom who travels to Italy for his destination wedding only to be jilted at the altar. What begins as a heartbreaking disappointment slowly gives way to an adventure filled with amusing new friendships, postcard-worthy Italian scenery, music that seems to float through every scene, and an unexpected romance with an Italian café owner whose uncle is none other than Andrea Bocelli—played by Bocelli himself. By the time the credits rolled, I found myself thinking less about romance than about the film’s underlying message.

I don’t know if the Italians have it exactly right, but they are certainly onto something: “una benedizione nascosta” — a blessing in disguise.

Life has an uncanny habit of disguising its finest gifts as disappointments. According to the oft-told story, Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper job because his editor claimed he ‘lacked imagination.’ At the time, the rejection felt cruel and demoralizing. Yet it was that rejection that pushed him toward entrepreneurship and ultimately changed the world of entertainment.

Agatha Christie, the legendary crime novelist, suffered a devastating emotional breakdown when her first husband left her for another woman.  Seeking to heal her shattered heart, she eventually made her way to an ancient archaeological dig site in Iraq, where she met archaeologist Max Mallowan, who became the love of her life. They remained happily married for 46 years until her death.

Then there are the obvious blessings that are only momentarily disguised. Ask a passenger who was booked on one of the flights on September 11th, but for some reason missed the plane, and they will tell you that the delay, frustration, or inconvenience they experienced that morning became the moment that changed their life forever.

At the time, it was simply a missed flight. A schedule disrupted. A moment of irritation. They had no idea that what felt like an obstacle was, in fact, something that would save their life.

I haven’t experienced many blessings in disguise, although I did have one of significance — and it culminated with me running off to Paris. More often, my blessings have chirped their way into my life, while my setbacks have arrived with the subtlety of a falling piano.

So, I’ve decided to ask God to send more blessings my way before I leave this earth — some of the disguised variety, since those seem to be the ones I recognize only after the story has unfolded.  I plan on delivering my request through prayerful smoke signals, just to keep the element of fun in the equation with my heavenly hosts. Once my request is sent, I’ll approach each adversity like a cosmic game of hide-and-seek, asking it to kindly move along while coaxing the blessing to come out, come out, wherever you are.

Who knows? Maybe it will be like Christmas every day in my dotage — a lifetime of unexpected gifts waiting to be discovered.