The Inspiring Tale Of How One Cheeseburger Changed the World
By Siena Versaci
The reach of poverty stretches far across the world, yet the compassionate act of one person alone can stretch so much farther because it touches hearts. Laura Schroff did just this when she stretched out her heart, changing 11 year-old Maurice’s life forever, and launching a butterfly effect that has changed many more lives since.
Published more than 10 years ago, the story of Laura and Maurice, An Invisible Thread, has been on the New York Times Best Seller list 39 times and has been published in 15 languages across the world, moving anyone who reads it. This true story tells of how miraculously Laura and Maurice’s lives became entangled - an invisible thread tying their lives together.
It all started when Laura decided to invite a hungry boy on the streets of New York City to McDonald's for lunch. This story shows how just one person can cause a vast amount of change. Laura’s decision that day had the long-term effect of breaking a cycle of poverty, drugs and violence that had been present in Maurice’s own life, but, due to Laura’s influence, did not ultimately become a part of the lives of his seven children. With many new and exciting projects on the way, Laura and Maurice’s journey continues to cultivate thoughts about the unbalanced spread of wealth in our society and what one person can do to help people who really need it.
At the age of 13, there's only so much I can do, so when I got the opportunity to interview author Laura Schroff, I was beyond excited. I first heard of Laura's book from my grandma who happened to be her teacher in high school. I read the book and was immediately moved. It had me both heartbroken and empowered at the same time. Hopefully the power of this story will affect other people similarly. In fact, it already has. Since her book first came out, many people have reached out to Laura to share their own stories, and ask questions about how a single person made an enormous impact. She has compiled the stories she has received from others into her second book, Angels On Earth: Inspiring Real-Life Stories of Fate, Friendship, and the Power of Kindness.
Many people seem to care about people in need, yet too many people don’t do anything to make a difference. Why is that? I asked Laura what she thinks of peoples’ fear of helping strangers. They are afraid that the person has a mental illness and will lash out. Or that they will try to take advantage of the situation in some way. Laura’s view is that people who are out on the street don’t want to be there, and it’s not our place to judge them. In any event, they are less fortunate than most of us.
Most people walk around every day absorbed in their lives not mindful of whatever's happening around them. Laura said that she may not have even taken notice of that little boy on the street if she hadn’t been taken out of her normal routine. Her plans having been canceled that day, she decided to take an afternoon walk. With her eyes open and no to-do list on her mind, she was able to hear the child’s voice say, “I’m hungry”. We all probably miss opportunities to help people because we are so consumed with our daily lives. We can try not to miss such opportunities by occasionally changing our routine.
Adding on to this point, Laura ponders whether she would have stopped or even noticed Maurice’s plea if it hadn’t been 1986. Today, she would have had a phone in her hand. Would she have been too absorbed in her texts, calls and social media feed to notice another person on the street in need? Do good people help strangers on the street less in 2022, than they did in 1986, simply due to the existence of mobile devices?
For Laura, the most rewarding outcome of her writing An Invisible Thread was the ripple effect. She never thought that her act of kindness could be the cause of so much change, inspiration, and hope. She has spoken at over one hundred schools and has noticed that the more fortunate kids react to her story by realizing how lucky they are. For the kids who are less fortunate, Laura and Maurice’s story gives them hope. But everybody who hears their story is inspired.
So what can a young person do with their hope and inspiration? Simple kindness can be a solution. Show you care, keep your mind open for opportunities to make someone’s life even just a little bit better. You might go so far as to put yourself into another’s shoes and consider how your words may make them feel. If you see someone at school being mistreated, stick up for them. Come together as a community by participating in charitable fundraisers, volunteering locally, and promoting inclusion. These kinds of acts can have just as big an effect and impact on someone as Laura’s decision to help Maurice in 1986.
This year, the 10th anniversary edition of An Invisible Thread will be published, with an exciting new introduction, and afterword written from Maurice’s point of view. I hope that the renewed edition of An Invisible Thread will inspire another generation of readers to take action when they have that feeling that they could, and should, help another person in need.
To that eleven year old boy on the streets, all it took was someone showing they cared, for his life to change in a flip of a switch. Something life-altering doesn’t have to save the world. One small act of kindness can be transformative in ways you never imagined!
Thanks to Maureen Tomasulo Mathews for introducing me to this wonderful book and its inspiring author, and thanks to Laura Schroff, who planted a seed in the minds of many to make a difference.
