The following was originally published in The Herald Dispatch (www.herald-dispatch.com). It is part of a regular series of columns focusing on the activities of Create Huntington.

On a recent business trip I found myself with plenty of time on a plane. I used the air-time to catch up on a book I’d been intending to read for months. That book, both a simple story and complex allegory, held me in check until I finished it and, in many ways, hasn’t let go yet. The book is The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.

The story chronicles the life of a middle-class Seattle family through the eyes of their dog, Enzo. Denny, Enzo’s master, is a semi-professional race car driver, whose outlook on life comes from racing and observing drivers. In explaining both his driving style and his philosophy on life, Denny quotes Gabriel Flouret, a French Formula One driver, “That which you manifest is before you.”

Through Enzo’s eyes, Stein offers a powerful truth of life that we should all consider and can use to all our benefit. Enzo explains, “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.”

His point is, I believe, that we have the responsibility for our lives – and for the purposes of this column – our community. We do not have to trust our community’s fate to the winds of chance. We have the ability to guide it to a bright, or not-so-bright, future.

That which you manifest is before you. Many of your friends and neighbors see a bright future for Huntington and are working to make their vision become real. They see a lively, safe, friendly community with restaurants, shops, parks, and jobs, and working hard to manifest that reality. Some of the projects people and groups are working on now include:

• Encouraging Google to install a high-speed network in the area

• Establishing a multi-cultural center where people from all backgrounds can celebrate and share their heritage 

• Expanding recycling options for local residents

• Creating an open-air market downtown

• Increasing the number of retail and service businesses downtown and providing retail opportunities for entrepreneurs and artisans

• Establishing community reading forums to bring people together to read and talk about novels, short stores, poetry, nonfiction and movies

• Creating new venues for visual and performing artists

• Beautifying the community by maintaining flower gardens in public parks and spaces, and by expanding the number of community gardens throughout the area

• Addressing deep-rooted problems, such as crime, poverty, litter and graffiti

You are invited to join us. You are invited to see a bright future, join positive and engaged people, and be part of making it happen. You may stop by a Create Huntington Chat ‘n Chew, held every 5:30 – 7:00 pm, every Thursday in the lobby of the Frederick Building. If you are unable to join us on Thursdays, you may email createhuntington@gmail.com or go to www.createhuntington.com to learn about the many projects going on now, submit ideas, and volunteer to assist.