April 15, 2015 – St. Paul, Minnesota

Ripple effect: a situation in which one event causes a series of other events to happen; a spreading, pervasive, and usually unintentional effect of influence.

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Syr is running through the house in circles, chasing after her new friend of similar age. They just met an hour ago, but they seem to really be hitting it off. Jumping on Mari’s bed, playing with toys, and touring the house preceded this seemingly endless foot race.

Could this be the beginning of a life-long friendship?

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The new tenant begins moving his things into Mari’s basement, which has been humanless since the old renter left. No more extra freezer space for us, I guess. He brought a friend to help him move his larger furniture, which must be a struggle to get down the tight, steep staircase. There is a young girl trailing along – his friend’s daughter.

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I go over my list one more time to ensure that I have everything for the basement work. Window crank, carpet cleaning machine, closet door rollers…

I’ve been spending more time down here recently, as Mari is trying to find someone to take over the lease from the old tenant. I imagine it could be a tough sell with a three-year-old running around the house from time to time. I hope someone takes it soon…

Wait, I wonder if my cousin would be interested?

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“Having a vested interest in other souls unconditionally creates a ripple effect that produces miracles in the lives of those around us.” – Molly Friedenfeld