MyparentslivedthroughtheGreatDepressionofthe1930sandIheardstoriesfrombothofthemabouthowtheirliveschangedbecauseofit.Thesamewastrueofmyin-lawswhoseliveswerealsoaffectednegatively.Forexamplemyhusband’sgrandfatherownedafactory.Owingtothestock(证券)marketcrashhelostthefactoryandwentbacktoworkintheveryfactoryhe’donceowned.Hecouldnolongeraffordtosendmyfather-in-lawtocollege.Myfather-in-lawworkedfulltimeasapipefitterandwenttoschoolpart-timetoearnhisdegreewhichtooksevenyears.
SomehowmyhusbandandIneverdreamedthatwewouldlivethroughanythingsimilar.Howeverastheysayhistoryoftenrepeatsitself.In1929thestockmarketcrashedinthemonthofOctober.Thesamethinghappenedin2008.Myhusbandwhohadinvested(投资)allourmoneyinthemarketwasinastateofshock.Eachdaythenewswasmoreterrible.
“We’velostmorethanhalfofourwealth”hetoldme.
Ijuststaredathim.“Howcanthatbe?”
“IthoughtwehadgoodsolidinvestmentsbutitseemsIwaswrong.”
“Wellwedohavepensions(抚恤金)”Isaid.“Hopefullytheywon’tbeaffected.SincewehaveneverlivedahighlifestyletobeginwithIdon’tthinkwehavetoworry.”
“Ididhopetoleaveourchildrenandgrandchildrenagenerousinheritance(遗产)”myhusbandsaid.Heshookhisheadindisbelief.
“We’llstillbeabletogivegifts.Loveisthemostimportantgiftanyway.”Ourchildrenaregrownandwealwaystrytobegeneroustothemandourgrandchildren.
“Itjustwon’tbethesame.”
“Theworldisalwayschanging”Isaid.“Youneverknowwhatwillhappen.Themainthingisnottogetdiscouraged.Aslongaswehaveourhealthandcanaffordthenecessitiesoflifethere’snoreasontobeupset.Whenyouhaveyourhealthyoucanalwaysearnmoremoney.”
Ihuggedmyhusbandandhekissedmeinreturn.
“Iguessyou’reright”heagreed.“Weloveeachother.Wehaveourhealthandenoughmoneytoliveoncomfortably.That’sallthatmatters.”
Wehadtomoveoutofourhouseintoanapartment.Sincefewpeoplecouldaffordahouseinthoseharddayswedecidedtoofferitforconsiderablylessthanitwouldnormallybeworth.Evensoseveralbuyerschangedtheirminddaysbeforeclosing.Butfinallyou
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