Behind the Wheel

The tale is told from the perspective of a dog, Enzo, who just so happens to be a profound philosopher. Through his relationship with Denny, his car-racing ‘human’, and his own keen powers of observation, Enzo has educated himself on the sophisticated innuendos and delicate phenomenon of the world around him.

While readers readily relate to Enzo’s story, his unbridled passion, complete selflessness, and non- judgmental reactions may come easier to dogs than humans. He masterfully marries the joy of auto racing with pure joie de vivre, correlating driving practices with states of being and establishing that ‘life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast.’

Enzo deftly sprinkles clever maxims throughout his narrative. Perhaps his most enchanting mantra is, ‘that which you manifest is before you’ - an important reminder that we have at least some ability to control the world around us, and that it is not an event itself that it is important, but rather our interpretation and response to that event.

Enzo elucidates that race car drivers are often afraid of rain. It amplifies their mistakes and becomes an unpredictable element. But rather than fearing the rain, so instructs Enzo, a racer should embrace it—possess it—and initiate a response before he loses control of his car.

We alone can control our circumstances. By changing our mood, our approach, or our energy, we can create our own destiny. As Enzo says, “be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.”

What if we applied this truism to all of our relationships, intentions, and actions? What if we set aside our egos and looked at things from Enzo’s point of view? And what if we followed his suggestion to occupy the moment without worrying about the future? To live each day as if it was stolen from death? To feel the joy of life, relieve ourselves of our daily burdens, and recognize just how beautiful life really is? How would we change? What would we manifest?

What advice would Enzo have for you? Write to me at sara@greenbuildermag.com or follow me on Twitter @SaraGBM.

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