My dining room chairs have given me a whole new perspective on the saying, “Look on the bright side.” Their history is part of my history, which includes spending over eight years in the cloudy, misty, rainy Pacific Northwest. In fact, these chairs first joined us shorty after moving into our gray two-story on Gilesford Street. I remember the day my husband and I picked them out at the furniture store. I loved the colorful striped fabric. I loved the cozy ambiance I knew they’d bring to our dining room.

I also loved those gray days in our gray house. But even the biggest fan of rain sometimes longs for a little sunshine. And the sun always did shine…eventually. My chairs wear the proof. One of them backed up to a window and the sunshine gradually licked away at its vibrant color. It took me years to notice the difference, otherwise, I probably would have been more vigilant at closing the curtains on sunny days. Then again, closing the curtains on a sunny day in Oregon just seems wrong.

Right or wrong, I now have chairs that need to be recovered – which probably be won’t be happening for awhile. In the meantime, I can enjoy the lesson they teach me: the sun WILL shine again.