“BUT NATURE CAST ME FOR THE PART SHE FOUND ME BEST FITTED FOR, AND I HAVE HAD TO PAY IT...” - EDWIN BOOTH

THE BEGINNING of the year is a time to reset, start anew and brush off the residual dust of bad feelings and angst. To that I say, “Meh!” In reality, it is just another year off the calendar, another new wrinkle, additional follicular drop out and diminishing close vision, though I’m willing to bet I’m off to a more auspicious second week of the year than most! As I am basking in the sunshine of Arizona, those of you in the North and East are likely languishing in a blanket of nature’s frozen marshmallow.

Alas, the snow will melt, the sun will shine, and our short-term memory of the winter will dissipate. It is amusing to me how events, worries of the day, the drama of the moment, are so easily forgotten. Larger events often overshadow the truly impressive and may even obfuscate some amazing achievements.

AN EXAMPLE

Did you know that Edwin Booth, the son of Junius Booth, was, and is considered to be, one of America’s greatest thespians of the middle- to late-nineteenth century? Edwin’s father, highly considered the first true American stage poet and genius, eclipsed his father like a giant who towers over an infant. Edwin played to audiences that equaled those seen in the largest stages on Broadway and filled venues faster than an opening of “Hamilton,” starring Lin Manuel Miranda, in Puerto Rico. Yet, how many of you remember Edwin? Sadly, you do know his lineage, unless you fell asleep during your American history courses. This Booth is the elder brother of John Wilkes Booth.

History has a way of blotting over important events, especially when something more tragic or outlandish occurs. Perhaps, I am feeling melancholy because of the senseless shootings that continue to plague our nation. The bigger tragedy is that these pointless acts of violence only serve to encourage others to be the next story. Maybe, we need to adopt the policy that most sporting events carry when some moron decides he is more important than the game and runs on field. “Hey, bloated, shirtless loser, nice try but no one saw your inflated belly and flat butt do an impromptu head-first slide into jail!” Maybe, if we just don’t televise the lunatics who leave behind some convoluted manifesto, and then remove themselves from humanity, we can institute a Pavlovian chromosome dump.

IN YOUR OFFICE

Perhaps my carefree mood is not completely intact this month. Yet, what I have been trying to do is revel in the happy stories of my patients. My patient who donated his World Series tickets to a charity, my patient who took my advice and ate Sidecar Doughnuts, in Newport, and loved them or my patient who is a new city council member and was inspired to run because she felt she could make a difference. Don’t allow that noble idea — that we can make positive change — to be eclipsed by the dour and calamity that takes the headlines.

All of us are in contact with some amazing stories and personalities that enter our offices. Let’s remember the real No. 1 is our patients. OM

DR. BLOOMENSTEIN practices at Schwartz Laser Eye Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. He is a founding member of the Optometric Council on Refractive Technology. He is a speaker and advisory board member for: Akorn, Allergan, AMO, Bausch + Lomb, Lunovus, OcuSoft, Shire and TearLab. Email him at mbloomenstein@gmail.com.