A book by Laura Schroff.
Laura Schroff chronicles her story, of a lifetime of friendship between a successful marketing executive and a disadvantaged young boy. An amazing true story written straight from the heart. Warms the cockles of the heart.
It all happened in the New York of the late Eighties, ridden with poverty, crime and drug abuse. Laura meets Maurice, a street corner panhandler as he is asking for some spare change. She walks past him and then something stops her. She goes back and keeps going back. Slowly but surely with her positive inputs over the years he moves from the streets to a stable family life. He is able to stay away from the drugs and violence that his entire family is involved in.
She meets him in 1986 when he is only eleven and then continues to meet him every week over the years. This built an unexpected, life-changing friendship that spanned almost three decades. From dinners, to ball games, to having him at her family Christmas’, to meeting his teachers, to grooming him…. For her it is like the child she never had.
Over time they become friends forever. It all began with one small act of kindness.
Modern life now depends on technology to stay connected. The physical on ground connection is lost and more so now whilst we are in the middle of one of the worst pandemics the world is dealing with. In a very different sense this pandemic has shown the world how all of us are connected with an invisible thread. The virus is invisible and moving so fast that it has reached almost every country in the world. We are now in this awful position where we have to use technology — video chatting apps — to stay in touch with the people we love. Even when we will be able to see them we will have to maintain social distance. We cannot hug or shake hands. What will our new normal be? Will we be able to ever connect again with strangers? How will that even happen when we cannot meet new people. There are so many questions swimming around in my head.
Will we now always have to wear masks in all public spaces? Will going mask free in a public space be considered a sin? That sounds so awful.
Will our temperature be checked whilst entering every public space? If we have a temperature above 37.3 degrees will we be in trouble? Will we have a health app on our phones that will decide whether we can or cannot enter a public space? If we are in any way unwell or have a fever will we be treated as untouchables? How will all this affect our mental health? Will social distancing become the way to live? What about procreation — how will that happen? One night stands will also have to be cleared by the health apps I guess. Passion and spontaneity will have to be buried.
Will our short memories take over and we shall forget all about this time of life? We will all probably need to be treated for trauma caused due to lonliness by a therapist.
The biggest question we have to deal with is how will make people money? What businesses will work in this new social structure? Or will we all become dependants of the state? Food based businesses should always be good. What about hospitality? With no socialising on the cards how will this work? Fashion and airlines will also be a no no.
So many questions and no answers. And remember I am fifty three years old. Tough to teach an old dog new tricks. Although this old dog is trying to learn some new tricks.
Very much doubt that I am eligible for any state support? In any case in India we don’t have a social security net. No protection if you cannot earn. This old dog shall have to learn some new tricks for sure.
These are all such negative thoughts. Is there a positive spin possible on this? Should we now have a month every year where the world is in lock down. Give the planet a break every year. All businesses shut but local mobility allowed only on foot. All cars off the road. Should we create a world without cars? You must look at www.thepinktreeproject.com and the The Woven City project by Toyota.
This invisible thread that binds us together and yet keeps us apart. I am sure that is not what Laura had in mind when she wrote the book. Nobody could have imagined the world as it is today.
After reading the book I looked them up on the net, saw their pictures and videos. I guess I wanted to be sure that these are real people.
It really is amazing that something like this could happen. Small acts of kindness can make a difference even in today’s challenging times. It restores some faith in humanity.
Written By Mohit Gupta
Week 14, April ’20
To learn more about An Invisible Thread, visit: www.aninvisiblethread.com.
