For The Love Of Dogs

"Such a simple concept, yet so true: That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves." Garth Stein, "The Art Of Racing In The Rain."

I'm finally getting around to reading, "The Art Of Racing In The Rain," a loaner from Marathon Man Leonard. If you have a passion for dogs this is a book you will truly enjoy. "Racing" is a "first person" account as told through the eyes of Enzo, a dog, which, I suppose, makes it "first dog." It's about the fervent and loyal relationship between Enzo and his owner, Denny, that must expand to include "invaders." 

Yes, Enzo's "garden of Eden" gets invaded by Eve, Denny's new girlfriend and soon-to-be wife. Ah, the ups and downs of a mutual toleration society... the vying for attention by Eve and Enzo for the affections of Denny. It's a tough adjustment, but with Denny off to race cars all around the world, Eve and Enzo are forced to rely more and more on each other for what they need. 

The plot thickens when a new baby girl comes along. Enzo loves her as much as her mother does and dedicates his energies to protect the sweet smelling little darling from all harm. He follows her... barks for Eve when she toddles herself into a jam in the house and yard. At one point Enzo fantasizes about not hesitating to give up his own life to save hers, or Eve's, for that matter. Well, now Enzo and Eve have things in common, they love the same people, and it serves to deepen their relationship with each other. Love builds into a mutual understanding.

I won't give too much away, but Eve begins to have "spells" that center in her head, and with husband away she relies more on Enzo for love, support and companionship. Enzo can sense when she is not feeling well and makes a point to sit by her side, nuzzling, offering her his love and affection. One day Enzo "kisses" her ear, and smells the illness in her head. He now knows it is serious, but how to convey it to humans?  

To be honest, I didn't think I would care for "Racing In The Rain." But after a few pages I was hooked, and now I can't put it down. It's about the stuff of life... dogs, relationships, goals, priorities, love, illness... as understood and told through the eyes of man's best friend.

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Now let's go back up to "Yankee Girl" mine for part two of our snowshoe foray into the wild. Peace out...