Does Like Attract Like?

Does it? It all depends.
If I'm walking along a sidewalk on my way to work, irritated to death with being bumped and jostled, looking  disgusted, possibly thunderous, I can promise you, no one looking at me is going to feel like smiling and spreading rose petals around my feet. Chances are, I'm going to make them feel even more disgusted than they thought they were when they joined this rat race.  On the other hand if I'm walking along a sidewalk humming a ditty, beaming at everyone I see, spreading good cheer and jolly good vibes - at 7:30 a.m. - someone walking around looking thunderous is going to sock me!
So, No. Like does not always attract like. It's like most things - use your common sense. Or your intuition. Intuition works well and isn't threatening.
At a recent book presentation, a young woman approached me and said, "I'm so confused. You read all this stuff about "Don't be negative, it attracts negativity. Stay positive at all times ..." Here's the problem, I have a good friend who's just lost a young child. I feel so sad (negative) when I'm around her that I'm scared to death this stuff is catching and if I spend too much time with her it's going to contaminate me and I may lose my own five year old child!"
No, no, and NO!
What happened to the child that died had nothing to do with anybody but that child's spirit. Here's what I believe: A spirit is born into this world for a purpose, and when it has accomplished what it came in to do, it leaves. A spirit enters this world in human form with its very own agenda. Its has its own blueprint that's charted the course of this life on earth. Nobody can change that! Not a mother, not a father, not a friend. No matter how positive or negative everyone is. The spirit itself is the only one that can change the course of that blueprint. That spirit could be surrounded with negativity and live to be a Katie Couric or a Queen Elizabeth or Donald Trump - if that's what it's plan is. Alternatively, it could be surrounded by loving people, good teachers and good friends and die young for a million other reasons - according to its blueprint.
So please know this, your friends who have lost children need you. They've lost too much already to have to face losing you - because you're afraid to get too close to them because it's just too sad and it might cause you to lose someone you love. It doesn't work that way. This is not contagious.
But I don't blame anyone for wanting to shy away. Death in our culture is a scary thing. It's much easier to deal with if we don't go near it.And the thought of losing a child is a very, very scary thing. So, stand back if it helps, think it through, be okay with it if you can and even if you can't, remember that friend whose reality this has become. Be there. Be honest, all it takes is something like - "I have no idea what you must be going through - but I'm here if you need me." 
What helped me the most was to be able to talk about Drew. So next time you see me say, "Tell me about your son." And I will give you the biggest smile you've ever seen and love you for asking. And bend your ear for the next three hours - or until you sock me.
So, get over it, worried Girlfriend, uncomfortable Man friend - help us deal with something that was completely foreign to us too - before all this happened. :)