by Shenzhan/申展
Reaching, Astoria, New York, May 2020
by Shenzhan/申展
今天读到纪伯伦（1883-1931）的《先知》，有些奇怪的感觉：阳光似乎特别明亮，天空特别蓝，鸟儿的啼叫显得既特别嘈杂，又特别空寥。
意大利紧缺病床收治COVID-19的感染者，美国宣布全国进入紧急状态，纽约州长Andrew Cruomo 给总统Trump写了封公开信，要求军队增援以备应对患病和死亡人数不可避免地激增的状况。
2020年3月16日，我也要开始在家工作了。
坐在纽约Astoria公寓的书桌前，面对几近荒芜的后院——一个孩子的笑声不断传来——我读到《先知》的第二章，“关于爱”：
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
黎明醒来，带着一颗轻快的心，感谢又一天，充满爱；
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
午间休憩，静思爱的激情；
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
黄昏归家，心怀感恩；
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
然后入睡，祈祷心中所爱，唇边颂唱。
(翻译：申展；Translation by Shenzhan Liao)
我想这当是每日在家的作息。
一息尚存，就爱这世界吧。
***
It feels strange to come across “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931) on this day, when the sun seems to be extra bright, the sky extra blue and the birds chirping extra loud and quiet at the same time.
Italy is running out of beds to treat patients with COVID-19; U.S. has declared national emergency; and New York governor Andrew Cuomo wrote an open letter to President Trump asking for military aid to build more medical facility quickly in order to prepare for the inevitable wave of the sick and the dead as the virus spreads exponentially.
Starting Monday, March 16, 2020, I am going to work from home.
Sitting at my desk facing a mostly deserted backyard in Astoria, New York, a child’s laughter piercing the air, I came across these words from “Love”, chapter 2 in “The Prophet”:
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
黎明醒来，带着一颗轻快的心，感谢又一天，充满爱；
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
午间休憩，静思爱的激情；
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
黄昏归家，心怀感恩；
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
然后入睡，祈祷心中所爱，唇边颂唱。
(翻译：申展；Translation by Shenzhan Liao)
I think it immediately gives a good structure of a day working from home.
Still in love with this world, at every breathing moment of my life.
Astoria, New York
March 15, 2020