As is customary, there will be no issue of Optometric Physician this week, but as we approach the end of 2020 and this being Thanksgiving, I did want to take a moment to reflect on some of the things we’ve learned and perhaps even be thankful for. I know many of you are thinking 2020 was awful. Yes, 2020 was an unexpected and, for most, unmitigated disaster. But rather than focus on the misery, the discord, discontent and loss, I want to focus on some of the positives. Yes, there were positive aspects to 2020.

This year was a lesson in appreciating what we have and not taking it for granted. It reminded us of the importance of family, friends and the people in our lives that surround us with caring and love. It taught us how fragile life is and how rapidly it can change. It reinforced the need to be and stay aware and think for ourselves, trusting with caution. We should all be thankful that we are still here and, for most of us, still healthy, with practices that survived an economic tsunami. We must remember that not all of our colleagues have been that lucky.

Personally, I am thankful for my colleagues who help make Optometric Physician a weekly ritual that greets readers upon waking most every Saturday morning. My sincere thanks to the sponsors of OP who make our e-journal possible. A huge thank you to my better half, Dr. Shannon Steinhauser, who serves as journal article editor. Even during the busiest, most hectic weeks, she never complains about what can be very tedious work. Finally, a big thank you to my readers. Some of you have been with me for decades and have become friends. Others, new readers, were barely out of diapers when the first issues were launched into the ether two decades ago. All of you are appreciated.

For everyone, have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. GBA

Arthur B. Epstein, OD, FAAO Chief Medical Editor artepstein@optometricphysician.com