When the best pair of sunglasses I’ve ever owned got stolen from my jacket pocket in the cubbies outside of HoCo this past December, I thought that I would never love again. It took me 20 years (a lifetime) to find the perfect pair that fit my face comfortably and that I liked, and in the blink of an eye (11 months), they were gone. What was I to do?  

I felt lost and confused, lonely and heartbroken. How was I to protect my light-sensitive eyes from the blinding light of the winter sunlight reflecting off of the fallen snow without my unique and irreplaceable sunglasses? I knew that I needed to seek out a replacement pair immediately. 

Some might say that my standards are set high for such a seemingly meaningless accessory, and they are probably right. However, whatever new pair of glasses I was to get had big shoes to fill. My old sunglasses and I went through a lot together, particularly in terms of running. I felt strong and unstoppable while running with my sunglasses on. They made me feel intimidating and powerful. The reflective lenses made me feel safe, like I was protected from the stares of fellow pedestrians or passersby in cars. I needed a new pair of glasses that would have this same effect while still fitting my face well enough for them not to bounce around while I was out on a run.  

Being the good digital native that I am, I got straight to work on Google researching good sunglass brands for running (after an appropriate period of mourning). I wasn’t thrilled with the prices of many options that I found, as I was not about to spend anywhere near $100 on a pair of sunglasses. However, after a few days of intermittent perusing of the web, I found the website for a company called Goodr. 

I was not initially very trusting of the site. Every pair of sunglasses looked the same, just with a different pattern or style on the frames. However, I liked the price (at around $25), and the most popular unisex style looked promising. I hovered over the trackpad on my laptop for about five minutes before finally clicking the button that would confirm the order. I felt like I was betraying my old glasses. Part of me still hoped that they would resurface somewhere. Deep down, however, I knew it was time for me to move on. Only time would tell how I liked my new pair of Goodrs. 

The day they came in, I could not get to the mailroom fast enough. I picked up the package and headed straight to the New Hampshire Outing Club office, where I knew my friend Charlotte would be. I opened the packaging and slid the glasses over my nose. The fit felt perfect. They were snug, but not too snug. I turned to Charlotte. 

“How do they look?” I asked her. She shrugged. 

“Meh,” she said with a shrug. 

Alarmed, I looked in the closest reflective surface, which was most likely my phone. They were different, for sure. Much different than my old pair, which were meant for me. I stared at myself for a few seconds, not yet sure of what I thought of them. I knew there was only one way to test them. That was to run. 

I woke up the next morning at 7 a.m., ready to brave the chilly February air in hopes of determining my destiny in conjunction with my new Goodrs. I slid on my shoes and put on my many layers of clothing, and polished the look off with my new glasses. This was the moment of truth. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the glasses were. If anything, they moved around even less on my face than my other glasses did, and made me feel more protected due to the larger surface area on my face that they covered. They didn’t hurt my nose, they didn’t pinch behind my ears, and there were no little screws or attachments to the glasses that would get caught in my hair. My first run with the Goodrs was a success. 

When I returned into the safety of the indoors, I felt winded and a little rosy cheeked. I stopped into my bathroom to splash some water on my face and looked into the mirror and smiled. I looked like a runner. The Goodrs were perfect.  

Everything happens for a reason, so I suppose I’m grateful for the criminal who stole my old specks, because they helped me to find Goodr sunglasses, the new love of my life.