Wisdom Wednesdays: Does everything happen for a reason?

I came across this article and was intrigued. Take a look:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hot-thought/201002/does-everything-happen-reason-0

And adversely:
http://www.enotalone.com/personal-growth/4539.html

So don’t hate me, but I’m not be a big believer in the phrase “everything happens for a reason.” Please know that YES I do believe in God and I know this is an unpopular thing to say; I do love the meaning that the belief holds - it’s hopeful. I also know that it is often the first thing that brings comfort to people in tough times - believing that it happened for a reason, to be revealed now or sometime down the road. However, I myself have just not been able to validate bad things happening to good people. What about those diagnosed with ALS? The victims of Katrina? I’m just not able to see the reason behind tragedy. I believe that bad things just happen, and that half of life is about what happens to you and the other half about how you react. I think those defining “reacting” moments are the ones that build character. We can choose to find the good in something sad..create something positive out of a horrific situation, OR we can choose to revel in the “why me?” and let this attitude bring us down to dark places. Good things can come out of bad situations, just by how we choose to react to them. But do they happen for a reason?

Shifting gears, has anyone read ‘The Secret?’ For those that don’t know about this book is pretty crazy interesting. This theory claims that if you will something to be, than it will happen - visualize something and it will come your way. Well, I read this book about 5 years ago, and the one point I kept coming back too was what you put out in the universe (positivity or negativity) will come back to you. Ie: the law of attraction. The year I read ‘The Secret’ I wrote down 3 things I wanted to accomplish: 1) meet the man I was going to marry, 2) complete a triathlon, and 3) make a big decision in my career. That same year I met Jeff, ran the Monster Triathlon in Texas, and accepted a promotion that would take me to New York City. Hmmm, coincidence? Or did I “put it out in the universe and it came right on back?” Let’s just say I believe it was a little bit of random and a whole lot of timing. When you are truly ready for certain things, aren't they easier to come by?

So my question today is to you, the reader: do things happen for a reason? Do you believe in the law of attraction? What do you think?

Best to you and yours,
Lauren