AS I WRITE this, I am lounging in my backyard watching my dog frolic in the grass on an unseasonably temperate August afternoon.
Sounds downright bucolic, right?
Let me elaborate. By “my dog,” I mean the senior foster dog — “Just give me the one least likely to be adopted today” — I thought would be a fun way to pass the time five months ago during the stay-at-home order when I couldn’t travel, or go out at night, or generally leave my house. But quarantine lasted longer than expected and when people expressed interest in adopting him, I started to panic. He had been my unexpected tether to sanity. My reason for getting up in the morning. My excuse to get outside a couple times a day or contend with literal crap all over my apartment. So, I adopted him myself. “Least likely” indeed.
And by “my backyard,” I, in fact, mean my sister’s backyard because as it turns out being alone half a country away from your family during a pandemic is lonely and scary. So, I put my stuff in storage, turned in the keys to my apartment, packed up that dog, and made the 10-hour drive to New Jersey to hunker down with loved ones.
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By “unseasonably temperate August afternoon,” I mean it’s in the low 80s versus the high 90s because it’s been pissing rain for the last few days, the humidity has momentarily broken and the sun is finally out.
But “louning in my backyard watching my dog frolic in the grass on an unseasonably temperate August afternoon” just sounds so much better doesn’t it? It’s taking a rather mundane reality and injecting it with a little magic. I think a lot of weathering bad situations is about reframing the situation into something more palatable.
So Vision Expo West was canceled. So what? That doesn’t mean there aren’t still great new products being introduced now. Or that we arent still rounding them all up for you in one place. Check them out on page 36.
Humor is another great way of dealing with icky situations. Our Big Story, “Don’t Do That!” is an informal list of things an ECP should just never do that is sure to inspire a few chuckles and knowing nods.
At the end of the day, that’s all resilience is. Getting out of bed each day, making the best of a bad situation and doing it all again the next day. After all life — and eye-care — must go on.
Best wishes for you and your business,
Five Smart Tips From This Issue
- It’s time to get ready for year’s end. We’ve got several tasks to add to your calendar. (Manager’s To-Do, page 18)
- New software can diagnose eye disease, predict retinal disease progression, and review digital OCT scans. (Better Vision, page 26)
- A story with a The Princess Bride reference is obviously a must read. (Big Story, page 30)
- If you can’t find it, build it. That’s what one owner did when opticians became thin on the ground. (Best of the Best, page 42)
- Looking for a few fun new social media follows? Your colleagues have some suggestions. (Buzz Session, page 56)
