Remember a few years back with all the talk regarding the book and movie The Secret? The basic premise involves a centuries old principle called The Law of Attraction. The Secret author Rhonda Byrne and her co-presenters maintained that everything that happens in our lives is a result of our thinking. So if you want a new Mercedes in your driveway, all you have to do is Ask, Believe and Receive. And the counterpart is that if you have a disaster in your life, 
something you were thinking attracted that event. So if you are walking under a tree and a bird poops on you, your thinking caused that to happen.
Some time ago Joanne and I were in New York City. After a busy day of meetings with my publishers we were strolling down Broadway when we came to the Neil Simon theatre where the famous show Hairspray was playing. Joanne had checked in advance and was told the tickets were sold out weeks in advance – and I didn’t want to pay the $110 per ticket anyway. But I suggested we walk over to the theatre just to check out the possibilities. There was a young guy out front who said no tickets were available – but added that they do have a drawing each evening for a few choice seats. The drawing takes place at 5:30. A quick glance at my watch let me know it was 5:26. Joanne and I quickly filled out a slip and dropped it in the container. We stepped back on the sidewalk and waited for 4 minutes.
Well, you can see where this is going. Yes, we got tickets – two of four, $25 each for front row center seats – for that night at 8:30. We then walked down to Ruby Foos for a wonderful dinner and came back to see the show.
Now, what happened there? Was it luck, fate, God’s providence, coincidence, positive thinking or an alignment of the stars? How do you explain the good things in your life? How do you understand the bad? Do you expect good things – or are you convinced bad things are going to happen?
I wish space permitted a fuller treatment of this important topic. Personally, I do expect good things to happen. But then I go to work to increase the chances. Perhaps getting tickets was just an example of the Biblical principle – You have not because you ask not. (James 4:2) Or Proverbs 23:7 where we are told: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” I’m going to keep expecting good things in my life. Show tickets are a small deal compared to some of the others I’ve got in my sights.
What are you expecting? How do you interpret The Law of Attraction?
Good article. Absolutely something to think about
I think your key part was setting to work to make that happen. Taken at face value the “law of attraction” is just wishful thinking. I can think all I want about it being cold and snowy tomorrow, but it’s highly unlikely to happen in Texas in September. I can think all I want about rush hour traffic continuing to move, but the reality is that it’s going to be normal rush hour traffic. My thoughts don’t cause events to happen. My actions based on those thoughts might produce results, though something like the story of you getting tickets to a show doesn’t have anything to do with your thinking making the tickets go to you. It does show that you took the time to take an action making that outcome possible, but they could just as easily have gone to someone else even with you filling out the form.
Peter – thanks for your comments. Yep – sometimes we too quickly assume circumstances will not allow us to reach out for something.
As you say, you were open to possibilities and stopping by the theater for that reason. I’d have done the same even if it was to only catch a glimpse of the theater. I think we can get too busy and focused on the urgent to notice possibilities and to “just check.” Sometimes the most memorable discoveries are by accident. Thanks for this reminder to “stop and smell the roses” — something wonderful may be found along the way.
Karen – yes, and we can too quickly assume there is no possibility. Thanks for your comments.
I have confessed and believed for years to win the lotto, maybe I should work on smaller things in life.