Well kids, it’s that time of year again. Break out the egg nog, ambiguous holiday greetings, and your credit cards, because it’s time to drink, connect, reflect, gift, and gift again, not necessarily in that order. If you didn’t receive the chocolate basket from my office, be patient, it’s on the way, or something. And it’s at this time of year I like to get a bit hokey so this blog may not contain a whole lot of info on the foot and ankle for my NYC podiatry patients, just some warm and cozy home cooked sappy wisdom, or something.

It’s been an interesting year, to say the least. Looking through the year in pictures was not a very uplifting joyous experience, more like a glimpse into the apocalypse one refugee, natural disaster, economic collapse and attack at a time. So, we are knee deep into climate change, the world is falling apart, and we have a series of at best mildly unqualified candidates jockeying for position as leader of the free world as our salvation (apologies to the lovers of either side- I’m an equal opportunity offender). However, in my own world, which exists somewhere between my home and office, there are glimmers of hope. Looking back, I- and you- have accomplished feats that at one point seemed impossible, and tackled obstacles that seemed insurmountable. On a personal level, the family thrives in a rapidly changing world, the practice grows in a most challenging healthcare environment, and we still somehow help each other out and keep a smile on our faces. The city is crowded and busy, yet we find a few minutes to listen and take action. It seems we need to adopt a long term perspective on world events, and realize that over the past few decades, we have made some great strides, and while challenges remain, we can use those challenges as an excuse to grow despite them or fail because of them. I don’t mean in any way to minimize the difficulties that are faced by many on a daily basis, however, everyone has had an obstacle course in their life that they have bested, and then channeled that strength into other challenges. And no I’m not just talking about the @toughmudder, but that is a good starting point.

So if your year has been good, good for you, and if it’s been less than good, let’s look forward to next year.   It’s always better to face both the victories and vicissitudes of life together, for as in the @toughmudder, it’s easier to scale the wall with a helping hand at the top. Thank you all for reading this blog on a regular basis, I am shocked and humbled (and really shocked!) every time I hear of another regular reader. I hope to be able to provide a few enlightening, engaging and perhaps entertaining foot facts to my NYC podiatry patients and beyond for many years to come, and wish you all the best for you and yours for the coming year and beyond.

See you in the office.

Ernest Isaacson