THE BRIDGEWATER-SOMERVILLE CONNECTION PAGE 34 APRIL/MAY 2022 theconnectionsnj.com AAS Tax Services, LLC Branchburg Commons Bldg. 4 Ste. #427 (Executive Suites) 3322 Rt. 22 West Branchburg, NJ 08876 Tel.: 908-231-9500 For information on the firm & other details visit: www.aasTaxServices.com Professional Full Service Tax Office for Individuals and Small Business Entities Andy Adamczuk IRS Licensed Enrolled Agent Tax Experience Since 2001 MS in Accounting BS in Accounting • BS in Finance All Rutgers University, NJ Income Tax Return Preparation, Late Filings, IRS & State Tax Problem Solving, Tax Debt Reduction, Correspondence Audit, Amended Returns, Installment Payments of Tax Liabilities, Planning for Taxes & Other Tax Services Affordable Prices (check prices & discounts on our website) As a member of a writer’s group, I am asked from time to time to suggest a topic or a word that becomes the prompt for our next essay. Most recently, I suggested the word Anticipation, since I feel this is a year of just that, or at least, for me and my family. This is the year our grandson, Jake, graduates from high school, heads to college and takes his steps toward his career, not simply his education. There is an air of anticipation around his decisions…which college will he attend, will he participate on a sports team, what will be his area of interest, is there Graduate School in his future? As I think about it, this group of students has been impacted by so many dramatic events in society. Sadly, they have encountered and been guided to deal with a pandemic and its concomitant virtual learning, frightening gun violence including lockdown drills and lockdowns, climate change, financial crisis, society’s recognition of gender differences, well, the list can go on and on. They are probably the most resilient generation we have seen since the “greatest generation” who were their great-grandparents. For those of us who wondered if they would ever take their eyes off their electronic devices, this generation has proven to be able to spring back into shape, to be flexible, pliable and stronger than many before them. Focusing on this year for Jake, and his sister, Jess and cousin, Maddie, who will begin applying to colleges next fall, has brought me back to my own applications and hopes for the future so many decades ago. At that time, I was a stranger to the college process since, like most of my friends, I was the first generation in my family to attend college. (My father had planned on attending Columbia University on a math scholarship but enlisted in the Marines after Pearl Harbor.) There was a sense of pride in being able to apply to college, a future that would be written by a desire to work and study hard, and an ability to have a successful career. My dreams were immense, and the sky was the limit! I want and must anticipate the same for my grandchildren as they approach this exciting time of their lives. The three of them are focused on their goals, know where their interests lie, know what it will take to achieve the success they desire. Never in our history have there been as many opportunities for them to “try on” different ways of accomplishing their success. It amazes me to watch how in some way all of them, including our youngest grandson, Max, are always able to figure out a different way to fix a technological glitch, they are always able to figure out a different way to look at a problem. Their ability to be facile around technology may just be a metaphor for their ability to create unique and unexpected jobs, needs for their skills, and other capabilities. At one time, I had mentioned to one of my daughters that a young cashier at a supermarket looked at a check I wrote with confused eyes, and it struck me as such a lack of knowledge on her part. My daughter’s answer was, “well, Mom, she might not be familiar with the check-writing process, but she can probably give you 5 different ways that she can deal with payment that don’t involve a check!” She was so right…now there are many automatic methods and, a dinosaur that I am, I continue to write checks. Anticipating the next steps taken by society’s evolution is way beyond my ken. My imagination ceases to exist in this regard. But the world in which my grandchildren are living is in constant reinvention, and that is very exciting. I am certain we will all benefit by the imagination of this generation. Anticipate with me the changes in the world of medicine; the ways to deal with climate change; the ability to bring people from all over the world to the table to save our planet from the effects of the industrial and technological revolution, and on and on. Our hopes for a better future lie in their minds, their experiences, their determination, their creativity, their openness and ability to respect each other. I anticipate we will not be disappointed in what these beautiful young people achieve because, at the end of the day, our hopes rest on their very capable and resilient shoulders. As I think about it, this group of students has been impacted by so many dramatic events in society. Sadly, they have encountered and been guided to deal with a pandemic and its concomitant virtual learning, frightening gun violence including lockdown drills and lockdowns, climate change, financial crisis, society’s recognition of gender differences, well, the list can go on and on. … This generation has proven to be able to spring back into shape, to be flexible, pliable and stronger than many before them. Our hopes for a better future lie in their minds, their experiences, their determination, their creativity, their openness and ability to respect each other. ANTICIPATION Slice of Life By Ellyn Mantell SAL’S AUTO BODYINC. Serving Your Community for 52 Years 315 HIGHWAY 22 (EAST BOUND) • GREEN BROOK HOURS: M-F8AM- 5:30PM SAT 8AM- 12PM Closed on Saturdays thru June, July & August. NJ LiceNseNo. 00342A www.salsautobodyinc.com Where quality repairs are no accident (732) 968-2214 • Collision Specialists • CustomPainting • Paintless Dent Repairs • Towing We work with all insurance companies for appraisals and repairs. 908-903-1799 info@theconnectionsnj.com theconnectionsnj.com
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