Clinton Township Newsletter

4 f e b r u a r y 2 0 2 2 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Hi Julie, I just read your January 2022 column. What a nice surprise to see my mom's 2014 column about the CTNL's origin. Quite a legacy. I could hear her voice in my head as I read it. It made me smile. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations on the Newsletter's 40th anniversary. I, too wish that my mom and Fred were here to celebrate this milestone. I'm sure Fred would be surprised that the Newsletter is still going strong after all these years and my mom would, no doubt, still be editing it page by page. I know they would both be very happy and proud. Your continued dedication to the Newsletter has made it into an informative, impressive, and important publication for its readers. Well done! – Sally THANK YOU Sally! During the holiday season this past December I was thinking about how your mom (Ruth Keesing) and I used to have what we called our "Wild and Crazy Office Christmas Party" – which consisted of a quiet lunch at the Clinton House – and you joined us for one or two of the later ones. I would like to think Ruth is having a party wherever she is now. She is still often in my thoughts, especially with this anniversary. Love, Julie letters to the editor VickiTuschak Sales Associate www.bhhsnj.com/vicki.tuschak vtuschak@yahoo.com office: 908.735.9700 cell: 908.334.2164 Your Clinton Township and Beaver Brook Expert! And YES... I live in Beaver Brook! Happy VALENTINE'S Day! "Thoughts on a Pandemic, Two Years In…" by Laurie Hills, a local resident Yikes. I've been numb. I can't get my head around the changes that are happening and will happen. We are at an inflection point and though I must admit a small sense of wonderment of what the future holds, it is dwarfed by a diminished yet overwhelming sense of fear. There is only so much dread I can live with and then little by little for my own sanity I must find the light again. Just a glimmer now but enough for renewed Trust. For a long while I was stuck in the muck. I drank too much, did too little, and drifted from day to day. Unable to plan, I filled my days with too much TV, too much alcohol, and too little self-care. Lethargy set in and it was easier to not do than do. All around I read about innovative people designing new products and services, writing eloquent insights, creating works of art, and finding ways to grow. I couldn't. Society's problems weighed heavily on my shoulders. I was lonely. Yet, there is no stopping time. It marches on dragging me along until I find solid ground once more. I say solid ground, but I am not entirely sure. It quivers and I am mindful of the potholes. At times they are real such as Omicron, the latest Covid variant. At times they are battles in my head. The same issues surfacing in different shapes over time: Loss, rejection, inadequacy, shame. But this is not to be a pity party. Indeed, I write from a place of introspection and peace. All is good. Life struggles are calmed for now, and I begin again to hope, to plan, to move forward. I sent holiday cards for the first time in years. The message: Blessings on top of blessings. A written word to family and friends to remind them they are special and in my heart. Compiling the addresses was a sign of the times. Or perhaps, a sign of my age (I doubt younger generations would understand). My once useful address book is filled with old acquaintances, outdated addresses, and names of those I have loved and lost. I consult the contact list on my phone knowing it is useless, too; it contains phone numbers and emails but very few streets, cities, and zip codes. I text my friends asking for their addresses vowing to finally update my phone knowing I will likely sift through text bubbles for the information next time it is needed. Or maybe this year will be different. Afterall, I have a good reason to consolidate all the data in one place: My son is to be wed and I must send him my address list. Democracy is not doomed. I thought it was. Like many I am shocked and disillusioned by current affairs, fake news, the Big Lie, and violence in our streets. I worry about authoritarianism here in our country, the separation of church and state, inequality, personal freedom and what it means. I am not sure what I can do, however, I firmly believe education and the eradication of poverty are key levers to the solutions. I worry about my children: Their future and happiness. Life seems so hard these days. I console myself knowing they have strong foundations, empathy for others, and though they don't realize it yet, resilience. Time does provide perspective, healing, and if lucky, wisdom. – Laurie Hills

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