There is an African proverb that says, “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” It is typically used to advise those who have lost their way in the world to refocus themselves by looking at their history. Given the hectic year that was 2016, I cannot think of a better time to employ this piece of advice.

For several, quite dramatic reasons, 2016 did not go as many people thought it would. It felt as though once we got over one upset, another one came and threw us for an even larger loop. The level of distress was so great that by the end of the year, the hashtag #DamnYou2016 begun circulating on social media.

While 2016 was a letdown on many fronts, for the optical industry, it wasn’t so bad. January’s Opti in Munich saw an expansion, International Vision Expo celebrated its 30th anniversary and toward the end of the year, the American Academy of Optometry’s Academy 2016 Anaheim opened to record numbers. When we look back on all that happened in 2016, it is important that we do not forget the fact that as an industry, the optical community showed great upward mobility

As we move into 2017, it’s important now more than ever, that we do not get distracted by whatever the year has in store. The goal is always to move forward, and aim to better the things within our power. With 2017’s Opti in Munich, SECO, Mido and Vision Expo East around the corner, we can look back at last year’s events confident that this year will only be better.

And hey, if 2016 was good for anything, it’s that we have plenty of icebreakers to pick from when we reconvene.