I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that it’s actually 2019. What?! The older I get, the less I understand how time really works. Why are Mondays so long and the weekends so short? Why do winters drag on and summers breeze by? I’m not sure I’ll ever figure it out. What I do know is that we can’t go back, so forward it is.

In this issue you’ll see our future trends feature, “On the Horizon: VM’s Trends to Watch in 2019,” which is a compilation of some of the big developments within optical, culture, technology, style and film that our editorial team has brainstormed.

As we take on this year, there are many things to look forward to like the return of Stranger Things (yes!) and Game of Thrones, advances in technology such as the continued rise of telehealth, the advent of 5G and the growth of AR and VR, trends like Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year as well as an increased interest in Made in America eyewear and sustainability. And naturally, there are events that we can predict will be a little trickier to navigate like the current political atmosphere and global issues such as climate change (it’s real).

Whatever this year has waiting for us, it’s important to take this beginning as a fresh start with a renewed point of view. As an industry we should continue to learn, grow and evolve with the changing times. But most importantly, as people we should all find time for the things that bring us joy whether that’s engaging in a creative project, committing to our resolutions or finally going on that dream vacation.

Ferris Buller said it best: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 

jwilson@jobson.com