學畫的小孩
這一天天的日子就象張白紙，該畫啥？如何畫？
“I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it's not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa. "
上周， 小兒接到了一封信。
他掃視了一下寄信人，準備拆信的手懸在了空中，往常那張總是掛著“少年不知愁滋味”的笑臉，摻進了幾許遲疑。
我探過頭一瞧，心裏也咯噔了一下，“咦，他們怎麽會來信？ 在這個時候。”
我說的“他們”，是指孩子未來的東家。去年暑期，孩子在C公司實習，漲了不少姿勢，交了很多朋友。末了，公司爽快地遞來了聘書，孩子爽快地接過了聘書，可謂兩情相悅，兩心相儀。
如今，離正式上崗還有四個月，孩子的大學生活也還以網課的形式在進行時中，此時來函，令人不安。
目前，疫情造成的經濟停擺，已使美國失業人數飆至2200萬，也就是每八個勞動力中，已有一人不幸被炒魷魚。對於一個即將步入社會的新人，明日更是未卜。孩子的第一份工作，假如因疫情的衝擊付之流水，我們是能夠理解的。早在新冠病毒在美國蔓延之初，我們已經和他就這份已簽約工作的前景討論過，一顆紅心，兩手準備吧。
孩子緩緩地展開信，沉默了一會兒，他舒了一口氣，告訴我，“公司通知我，已經把上班前那些七七八八費用打入賬號了。” C公司的信，無疑是一顆定心丸，吃驚之外，我們深感慶幸，心懷感恩。
當下，美國麵臨的是疫情低穀中的“至暗時刻”，經濟上的重創是鐵定的，但又是不平衡的。孩子將要從事的領域，目前影響尚為可控，所以這個飯碗還沒有被打碎。我所在的小組，老板剛好喜獲一筆資金，在單位宣布關閉雇人大門之前，三位年輕人打了個擦邊球，也幸運地擠進了門檻。
然而，更多的行業在疫情衝擊下兵敗如滑鐵盧。一位朋友所在的小公司，本來就風雨飄搖，這下子終沒能扛得過去；家長群裏也聽到這樣的消息，有的孩子收到了暑期intern被取消的通知；在航空公司工作的contractor們更是第一時間加入了領取失業金的隊列；疫情籠罩下的餐飲業同樣是步履維艱，鄰裏交流平台Next Door 上，不時地會有好心人招呼大夥兒到本鎮餐館線上訂餐，也是為了幫助特色小企業挺過難關。
在新冠疫情的暴風雨中，你在哪條船上？或許你的船隻幸運地繞開了凶險的暗礁，勇敢地闖過了湍急的河流；或許你的船隻在河道中迷失了方向，在航程中不幸地擱淺。然而，潮漲潮落，花開花謝，這其實隻是人生航道中的一個小小回合而已。
近來遇到的另一樁小事也讓我體會到，當我們在疾風驟雨中奮力搖槳前行時，其實我們並不孤單。
隨著居家令的執行，本地的華人老板們於三月中紛紛無奈地閉門打烊。一位好心的不報姓名的老板，通過友人，把餐館所有的水果、蔬菜、牛奶、 罐頭，乃至一次性小包的hand sanitizer捐給了村裏的華人朋友。村民們都深為在艱難時刻，自家生意受創，卻依然念著大家的“紅領巾”所感動。“多謝，我拿了十幾個hand santinizer，家裏一點也沒有，真需要。” “謝謝雷鋒，我拿了一些花菜和橙子，就不趕著去買菜了。” 大家紛紛告白，“告訴我們這家悶頭幹好事的餐館吧，雨過天晴後，我們一定要去支持他們。” 每次我外出時，都要用從這位老板那裏拿到的擦手液，仔細清潔手和車門，我的心放下了，也暖和了。
Covid-19 pandemic對我們每一個人的影響，盡管是不同層麵的，卻是真實的、深刻的、久遠的和複雜的。後疫情時代，你不再是從前的你，我也不再是從前的我。
下麵是Next Door上一篇我喜愛的文章，共享之。
WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME BOAT ...
I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it's not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.
For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee. For others, this is a desperate financial & family crisis.
For some that live alone they're facing endless loneliness. While for others it is peace, rest & time with their mother, father, sons & daughters.
With the $600 weekly increase in unemployment some are bringing in more money to their households than they were working. Others are working more hours for less money due to pay cuts or loss in sales.
Some families of 4 just received $3400 from the stimulus while other families of 4 saw $0.
Some were concerned about getting a certain candy for Easter while others were concerned if there would be enough bread, milk and eggs for the weekend.
Some want to go back to work because they don't qualify for unemployment and are running out of money. Others want to kill those who break the quarantine.
Some are home spending 2-3 hours/day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2-3 hours/day to educate their children on top of a 10-12 hour workday.
Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it. Others don't believe this is a big deal.
Some have faith in God and expect miracles during this 2020. Others say the worst is yet to come.
So, friends, we are not in the same boat. We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.
Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not just looking, actually seeing.
We are all on different ships during this storm experiencing a very different journey.
Unknown author
