学画的小孩
这一天天的日子就象张白纸，该画啥？如何画？
“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， 小儿接到了一封信。
他扫视了一下寄信人，准备拆信的手悬在了空中，往常那张总是挂着“少年不知愁滋味”的笑脸，掺进了几许迟疑。
我探过头一瞧，心里也咯噔了一下，“咦，他们怎么会来信？ 在这个时候。”
我说的“他们”，是指孩子未来的东家。去年暑期，孩子在C公司实习，涨了不少姿势，交了很多朋友。末了，公司爽快地递来了聘书，孩子爽快地接过了聘书，可谓两情相悦，两心相仪。
如今，离正式上岗还有四个月，孩子的大学生活也还以网课的形式在进行时中，此时来函，令人不安。
目前，疫情造成的经济停摆，已使美国失业人数飙至2200万，也就是每八个劳动力中，已有一人不幸被炒鱿鱼。对于一个即将步入社会的新人，明日更是未卜。孩子的第一份工作，假如因疫情的冲击付之流水，我们是能够理解的。早在新冠病毒在美国蔓延之初，我们已经和他就这份已签约工作的前景讨论过，一颗红心，两手准备吧。
孩子缓缓地展开信，沉默了一会儿，他舒了一口气，告诉我，“公司通知我，已经把上班前那些七七八八费用打入账号了。” C公司的信，无疑是一颗定心丸，吃惊之外，我们深感庆幸，心怀感恩。
当下，美国面临的是疫情低谷中的“至暗时刻”，经济上的重创是铁定的，但又是不平衡的。孩子将要从事的领域，目前影响尚为可控，所以这个饭碗还没有被打碎。我所在的小组，老板刚好喜获一笔资金，在单位宣布关闭雇人大门之前，三位年轻人打了个擦边球，也幸运地挤进了门槛。
然而，更多的行业在疫情冲击下兵败如滑铁卢。一位朋友所在的小公司，本来就风雨飘摇，这下子终没能扛得过去；家长群里也听到这样的消息，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们更是第一时间加入了领取失业金的队列；疫情笼罩下的餐饮业同样是步履维艰，邻里交流平台Next Door 上，不时地会有好心人招呼大伙儿到本镇餐馆线上订餐，也是为了帮助特色小企业挺过难关。
在新冠疫情的暴风雨中，你在哪条船上？或许你的船只幸运地绕开了凶险的暗礁，勇敢地闯过了湍急的河流；或许你的船只在河道中迷失了方向，在航程中不幸地搁浅。然而，潮涨潮落，花开花谢，这其实只是人生航道中的一个小小回合而已。
近来遇到的另一桩小事也让我体会到，当我们在疾风骤雨中奋力摇桨前行时，其实我们并不孤单。
随着居家令的执行，本地的华人老板们于三月中纷纷无奈地闭门打烊。一位好心的不报姓名的老板，通过友人，把餐馆所有的水果、蔬菜、牛奶、 罐头，乃至一次性小包的hand sanitizer捐给了村里的华人朋友。村民们都深为在艰难时刻，自家生意受创，却依然念着大家的“红领巾”所感动。“多谢，我拿了十几个hand santinizer，家里一点也没有，真需要。” “谢谢雷锋，我拿了一些花菜和橙子，就不赶着去买菜了。” 大家纷纷告白，“告诉我们这家闷头干好事的餐馆吧，雨过天晴后，我们一定要去支持他们。” 每次我外出时，都要用从这位老板那里拿到的擦手液，仔细清洁手和车门，我的心放下了，也暖和了。
Covid-19 pandemic对我们每一个人的影响，尽管是不同层面的，却是真实的、深刻的、久远的和复杂的。后疫情时代，你不再是从前的你，我也不再是从前的我。
下面是Next Door上一篇我喜爱的文章，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
