For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be, what is once well done is done forever. (Thoreau)

I believe that everything we do has consequences. We are not always cognizant of the effects of our positive actions, but they happen like a rippling in the water and something as minuscule as a smile can set off a wonderful chain of events.
On Thanksgiving, because my husband was ill, we had to call the children and our guests to let them know they needed to search elsewhere for turkey. All did with no problem except for our youngest daughter who lives outside of DC in a very urban, congested, and busy area. She had gone shopping for their dinner and when she got home realized her wallet with credit cards, license, and thirty dollars in it was gone. The last time she remembers seeing it was at the cashier. She returned to the store to ask if anyone had turned in a wallet, re-traced her steps in the parking lot, and then called her sick dad who from his bed called and canceled all of the credit cards. He comforted her, telling her it was only a wallet, and told her she needed to get a new license. (She was willing to have done the calling herself, but my husband is a hands-on kind of dad. I have a strong sense he'll be doing this kind of thing from the beyond as old habits die hard). She accepted her loss well and said she needed to be more careful.
And that, we thought, was that. On Saturday, however, she got a letter from the police telling her that someone (the police did not have a name) had turned in the wallet. It included an inventory; everything, including the cash, was still there. So to the kind and honest soul who turned in the wallet, I say 'thank you.' Not just for returning the wallet, but for creating this incidence of goodness. Let the rippling begin.