When God closes a silver door, He opens a gold one.

This is the Armenian version of the saying, "When God closes a door, he opens a window". Let me take you back in time a little:
When I was in pharmacy school, every teacher I had told me to do a residency and pursue clinical pharmacy. So, despite my ten years of retail pharmacy background, I applied for a residency (there was only one accredited pharmacy residency in the area, and since I'm married I didn't want to uproot us). I was surprised and disappointed when I didn't match with that program. I tried to understand how the program selected a student with no involvement, bad grades (she had actually failed a class), and a history of departmental discipline, but rejected me...the model student, hyper-involved, killer interview skills, and valedictorian. And not arrogant at all, LOL. Seriously, though, I'm just trying to explain how baffled I was. I simply could not understand. Worst of all, I was left without a job. All the retail pharmacy offers were already sent out for that graduating class, and my back-up plan - a local hospital - went on a hiring freeze the day I took my final licensing exam ( I could not receive an offer until I had results back from that exam, which I received just 4 days later). I was frantic with worry and I found it very difficult to trust that God had a plan. My darling husband was very supportive through this, and he kept telling me, "I think God has something bigger for you." But it was so hard for me to believe - what's bigger than a residency, after all? In pharmacy, they're rare and special, and although it means 1 or 2 years of very low pay and a salary after completion of below-average for pharmacists, it also means a lower stress environment and a great 9-5 schedule. I was doubting I'd get any job, let alone a nice one!
Well, after a few weeks, I was lucky enough to get a call from the district manager of a chain pharmacy. He'd received my resume from a pharmacist I had worked for in the past and wanted to meet me. We interviewed, he thought he saw talent, and he hired me. I was incredibly thankful just to have a job, any job, and I poured myself into it. The results have been amazing. I've been blessed to be selected to head up a new regional HIV initiative, which brought me special training and leadership opportunities. But best of all my management team selected me to interview for an on-site clinic, a specialized pharmacy inside a hospital. The job is amazing: clinical plus retail, so I get to use my whole skill-set; interesting disease states; brand new pharmacy; incredible hours - 9-5, no weekends! - and you know what? I was supposed to take over as the pharmacy manager, but I would actually be in charge of the store manager position, too. There is a job that encompasses both positions, but I wasn't eligible for that job title: you have to be a manager for two years to be considered for this "combination" position. However, today I interviewed with corporate and at the conclusion of the interview the director of the project offered me the combination position, and I accepted. This means I get my super sweet job plus ... well, a super sweet raise. Let's just say it's actually double the starting salary at the hospital that I had planned to work for.
This is a lesson to me. Who am I to think I know God's plan? There is so much more to the big picture. It may not be apparent for years later, but there's always, always a plan. The residency might have been the silver door, but this job is a gold door for sure.
You know what, darling hubby? You were right.