THERE'S MORE TO IT -- I am a bit of a “car guy,” it’s not a serious affliction, but more of an admiration for cool cars, well-designed cars, and the extreme and elite type vehicles that sometimes pass us on the roads. I worked in the automotive industry for ten years or so, and I’ve had the pleasure of driving many different “special” vehicles, some that even fall into that elite category. Most recently, I’ve had the opportunity to drive several different Tesla models, the power, speed and handling of these electric masterpieces is mind blowing. Imagine a family sedan that performs alongside, or better than a Porsche or Ferrari and most “supercars.”
I get a little giddy thinking about some intimidating, loud and proud muscle car revving its engine at the lights, challenging anyone to dare even try to out accelerate it, and the humble electric car beside him able to lay down a clear and wide swath of humiliation.
Most of my life I have felt like an underdog, plagued with keen self-awareness of my own shortcomings, weaknesses and lack. It used to trouble me a lot, and even drove me into bad decisions fueled by a desire to matter, to feel valued and to belong. Many of us can identify with ths feeling, overwhelmed by the roaring and intimidating engines of bold and bullish people around us, in our schools, jobs, or even families. I often felt like I was at the lights of life, hopeless to have any chance to even compete.
Many of us imagine and often work towards building our own loud and proud life, for some of us, it’s a Tesla kind of life, where we subtly offer the sting of defeat to all those loud hotrods.
Throughout generations, a certain breed of car builders would purposefully create sleeper cars for this very purpose. An unassuming regular looking and sounding car that is filled with excessive power, handling and performance. I love it when the arrogant are humiliated and when the common proves to be uncommon after all.
The risk of having a “sleeper car” is the joy we take in baiting the trap, whispering to ourselves “come on, I dare you,” just for the satisfaction of crushing them. Which brings us full circle into the same kind of bullying that we hated, and now inflict on others in clever and subtle ways.
I think better than dishing out karma, is the Tesla or sleeper car driver that sits calmly at the lights while the furious, loud and intimidating car races its engine until the light goes green, then proceeds to let the hotrod squeal away into the night while he calmly drives on with the knowledge that he has the power to win any race, but that’s not the game he is playing.
These days, I am a fully confident person, with life experience and successes under my belt, I drive my proverbial car to destinations because my life has destiny. I have no need to impress, intimidate or defeat anyone, I don’t want to spin my tires, I’ve got places to go.