Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Ooh ooh ooh Ooh ooh ooh Ooh oohooh
Speaker (00:14):
Elaine, please tell me the name of your soul dog.
My soul dog's
Speaker 2 (00:19):
name is Darwin.
Speaker (00:22):
Okay.
And how did you meet Darwin?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So my kids were little and I grew up with dogs
and I got to where my kids werelike five and six about that,
that I knew I wanted a dog.
And, and I used to have reallybad insomnia.
I still do.
And I, one night woke up andtook my laptop in my bedroom
with my ex husband.
And basically started doing asearch on rescue, Black Lab
(00:46):
Rescue Atlanta.
Speaker (00:48):
Okay.
The next
Speaker 2 (00:49):
thing I know, this picture of Jack popped up.
And the minute I saw him, I waslike, he's my dog.
Like there was no, and I woke myhusband up at the time and said,
Oh my God, I found our dog.
And he's like, we're looking fora dog.
And so he said, if Jack is stillthere on Friday, this was a
(01:11):
Thursday, if he's still there onFriday, we'll go and go visit
him.
And I was like, okay, well, Iwent and saw him on Thursday
Speaker (01:17):
without
Speaker 2 (01:19):
him and he, Jack ended up coming out, but was so
timid.
He was about four months old andhe was, we think abused and
black lab, um, American staffShire, kind of a pity mix.
He came out and had these eyes.
And he was so afraid beingalone.
He took a three legged dog outwith him and the people at the
(01:42):
shelter said, he can't, he's sonervous.
He brought a friend.
And so of course I'm like, Oh myGod, am I going to adopt too?
And the minute I saw him, therewas, I truly believe there was a
connection that I've never hadwith any other animal in my
life.
And it was like, I forced it andmy sister's like, I don't know
about a rescue and it's a pitmix.
And I had no supplies.
(02:05):
And we told the kids we had asurprise and they dropped them
off for like an evaluation andwe had them ever since.
So it was like 48 hours.
I'm a dog owner.
And I had, and I was likerunning to PetSmart and getting
all the supplies, but I knewfrom the minute.
I didn't even want to leave himwhen I saw him on that Thursday,
but I thought, well, I betterask my, let my husband meet him
too.
Speaker (02:24):
Right.
Right.
Right.
So that's how I make him thinkthat it's part of his
Speaker 2 (02:28):
decision to make him think it's part of his decision.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Speaker (02:32):
Yeah I think that's with so many wonderful decisions
in life, sometimes they're theones that you're, they're just
instinctual and you just.
Move forward and you don't knowwhy.
It just, it just feels right.
You never
Speaker 2 (02:45):
look back.
I never, ever, from that moment,he was my soul dog.
He was my dog.
A hundred percent.
Speaker (02:52):
His name was Jack when you, adopted him.
So how did he come about withDarwin?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
So we are a geeky science family.
And we said, everyone put yournames like in a hat and I have a
stepdaughter and two kids andmy, my ex husband and I, we
said, okay, well, what is it?
And it was so unanimous that allof us love Charles Darwin and
being in the South is a littleplay on that of, you know, we do
believe in evolution.
And so, uh, so we just all knewthere was funny other names, and
(03:21):
now I have two other rescuesnow, but, um, they're all
science names.
It was a theme and it's just, Itfit him so absolutely
wonderfully, you know, and whenI was him, I would call him, you
know, Darwin, Charles Benfieldversus like, so it was kind of
funny that we use the still useCharles Darwin.
(03:41):
So it was great.
Yeah.
Speaker (03:44):
How would you describe his personality or, but in three
words, how would you describehim?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Loving, I want to say like close.
Was always within a, you know,close proximity and just, uh,
sweet because he had a look thatpeople were always, I hate that
because people look and youjudge someone by its cover and
he was the kindest of any, anyanimal.
(04:11):
And I grew up with dogs and justthe sweetest, sweetest soul.
Speaker (04:14):
That's a great lesson, right?
Great legacy, he to teachpeople, not to, judge a book by
its cover.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I had friends that were terrified and the minute
they saw, and he was so goodwith little kids and older, he
knew when my mom was gettingolder in her life that she
walked differently.
And he would walk with her pace.
Like he knew, he knew one of myfriends, um, was diagnosed with
breast cancer.
And she was telling us, and shewas terrified of him.
(04:43):
And he went and lied on the partof her body that was sick.
Speaker (04:47):
Wow.
And
Speaker 2 (04:47):
she just was diagnosed and he knew something
was wrong.
And she was like, she got a dogafter that.
She was like, there's somethingabout the dogs and the humanity
and she was so scared and hejust knew she was scared of him
and knew she was.
So it was, that's the kind ofdog he just, you know, I know
all dogs are unique, but therewas something.
In my mind, Darwin just wasincredible.
Speaker (05:09):
Right.
Yeah.
He just, he just knew and beingwilling to share that, company
and that healing, I believe somuch in like the healing power
of animals and the fact that heknew that your friend was sick
is that's pretty incredible.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah.
And the other thing I want toshare is, so I went through a
really hard divorce and justlife changing events.
And Darwin, I think for the lastyear of his life, wasn't feeling
well.
He wasn't in pain, but itstarted, you know, he started
having a harder time gettingupstairs.
And just, it was more of aneffort and he whined more and
his personality just got older.
(05:43):
And I'm convinced he made it onelast year to help me get through
to my divorce.
He, he knew I couldn't handlehim leaving at that moment.
Speaker (05:53):
Right.
Right.
I know that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
He knew it.
And he got me like through twoweeks before my divorce and I'm
like, he knew.
And that's emotional.
Speaker (06:04):
Couldn't have done it without him, you know?
Right.
Yeah.
It's incredible.
Having that friend by your side,right.
And it's that unconditional lovethat.
Only a dog can provide in thatway, you know what I mean, of
course there's likeunconditional love and other,
other relationships, but it'sjust, it's just different.
Right.
Cause there was no judgment.
He was just there for you.
(06:25):
There was no, there was, he wasjust
Speaker 2 (06:26):
there.
No.
And I was his whole world.
You know, they always say, youknow, we have many dogs in our
lives, but I was it.
You were his person.
I was
Speaker (06:38):
like, he picked you and he chose you.
I love that.
Uh, um, what would you say hisgreatest lesson was to you?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Really, you can't judge a book by the cover.
You know, a gentle giant.
He was so careful, taking asnack out of your hand and just,
he always wanted to share yourpillow and just that love.
Wow.
I'm really crying.
But he taught never give up.
Even when he was sick and he hadsome weird health problems and
(07:09):
he just, he was always happy.
Just happy to see you, happy tobe near you, would follow you no
matter where.
I mean everyone joked, it's likeup! Where's Elaine?
There's Darwin.
It's like, right.
I mean every one of everything,he just for 13 years was feet
out around.
You know?
It's, it's just unconditional.
Speaker (07:29):
When he passed, is there anything specific that you
did, to memorialize him or, orhow do you remember him today?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So it's interesting.
We ended up, my stepdaughter wasin New York and we ended up
having a beautiful ceremony tocome to end his life.
And we ended up putting him onhis favorite dog bed, but
eulogy.
Each of us wrote something andread it to him while he was
alive.
Oh, that to me, having that,which each of us remember, like,
(08:00):
and my kids were little and it'slike them, their lives of their
first dog,
Speaker (08:05):
right?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
That was, and we had my daughter, FaceTime in, and
just, we each read and we werelaughing about all the funny
stories.
And so it was one of thosemoments, you know, it's the
saddest of times, but you lookand the kids and I were like, he
deserved that.
I went and got him, steak and,and we, made him his favorite
meals and he just loved all thatstuff leading up to it.
(08:27):
And it's like, and then yourealize, Oh, I shouldn't give it
to him more in his life.
You know, he deserves a layevery day.
Right.
But I have a little canisterwith his, ashes.
And, um, You know, I have thepaw prints.
My daughter gave me a beautifulEtsy sketch of him.
So this beautiful painting ofhim, and I've had friends give
(08:49):
me like lockets and all thesedifferent things.
So it's, everyone knew how muchhe meant and all of that is
just, you know, it's healing asyou can hear.
I'll, I'll love him forever, butright.
Of course you will.
Of course you will.
Speaker (09:02):
Lastly, do you have any advice for anyone else who may
have just lost their soul dogor, or any yeah, just any kind
of final, final thoughts.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
,I think.
It's the hardest thing you'll gothrough.
Truly.
I, I say this with loving heart.
My parents death was a littleeasier.
Both of them, because he waswith me all the time.
As they get older, it'sdifferent.
Um, but I really enjoyed goingthrough all the photos., I look
at his photos all the time, evensharing photos with you.
(09:33):
It was like, Oh my God, it wassuch a one fast.
Speaker (09:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
But I mean, so all those photos, it does get
easier.
I swear.
I don't cry like this all thetime.
Um, but it's the, what a greatlove, you know, and just take a
lot of photos when you have yourdog and your loved ones.
Thank you so much for tuning into hear about.
Darwin and Elaine, what abeautiful life they shared
(10:00):
together.
A few lessons.
That I took from this intervieware, um, when, you know, you
know, sometime.
Sometimes the best decisions arethe ones you.
You just know in your heart andare meant.
To be, and you just have to gofor it.
Um, don't judge a book by its.
Cover and make sure to captureall those moments.
Cause we just.
I don't know when it'll be thelast.
(10:21):
You gotta subscribe if you wantto be a part of our future.
And watch the episodes of yourchoice! I've got them in the
description.
Read description for full info.
And how to subscribe.
Ooh ooh ooh Ooh ooh ooh Ooh oohooh
Speaker (00:14):
Elaine, please tell me the name of your soul dog.
My soul dog's
Speaker 2 (00:19):
name is Darwin.
Speaker (00:22):
Okay.
And how did you meet Darwin?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So my kids were little and I grew up with dogs
and I got to where my kids werelike five and six about that,
that I knew I wanted a dog.
And, and I used to have reallybad insomnia.
I still do.
And I, one night woke up andtook my laptop in my bedroom
with my ex husband.
And basically started doing asearch on rescue, Black Lab
(00:46):
Rescue Atlanta.
Speaker (00:48):
Okay.
The next
Speaker 2 (00:49):
thing I know, this picture of Jack popped up.
And the minute I saw him, I waslike, he's my dog.
Like there was no, and I woke myhusband up at the time and said,
Oh my God, I found our dog.
And he's like, we're looking fora dog.
And so he said, if Jack is stillthere on Friday, this was a
(01:11):
Thursday, if he's still there onFriday, we'll go and go visit
him.
And I was like, okay, well, Iwent and saw him on Thursday
Speaker (01:17):
without
Speaker 2 (01:19):
him and he, Jack ended up coming out, but was so
timid.
He was about four months old andhe was, we think abused and
black lab, um, American staffShire, kind of a pity mix.
He came out and had these eyes.
And he was so afraid beingalone.
He took a three legged dog outwith him and the people at the
(01:42):
shelter said, he can't, he's sonervous.
He brought a friend.
And so of course I'm like, Oh myGod, am I going to adopt too?
And the minute I saw him, therewas, I truly believe there was a
connection that I've never hadwith any other animal in my
life.
And it was like, I forced it andmy sister's like, I don't know
about a rescue and it's a pitmix.
And I had no supplies.
(02:05):
And we told the kids we had asurprise and they dropped them
off for like an evaluation andwe had them ever since.
So it was like 48 hours.
I'm a dog owner.
And I had, and I was likerunning to PetSmart and getting
all the supplies, but I knewfrom the minute.
I didn't even want to leave himwhen I saw him on that Thursday,
but I thought, well, I betterask my, let my husband meet him
too.
Speaker (02:24):
Right.
Right.
Right.
So that's how I make him thinkthat it's part of his
Speaker 2 (02:28):
decision to make him think it's part of his decision.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Speaker (02:32):
Yeah I think that's with so many wonderful decisions
in life, sometimes they're theones that you're, they're just
instinctual and you just.
Move forward and you don't knowwhy.
It just, it just feels right.
You never
Speaker 2 (02:45):
look back.
I never, ever, from that moment,he was my soul dog.
He was my dog.
A hundred percent.
Speaker (02:52):
His name was Jack when you, adopted him.
So how did he come about withDarwin?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
So we are a geeky science family.
And we said, everyone put yournames like in a hat and I have a
stepdaughter and two kids andmy, my ex husband and I, we
said, okay, well, what is it?
And it was so unanimous that allof us love Charles Darwin and
being in the South is a littleplay on that of, you know, we do
believe in evolution.
And so, uh, so we just all knewthere was funny other names, and
(03:21):
now I have two other rescuesnow, but, um, they're all
science names.
It was a theme and it's just, Itfit him so absolutely
wonderfully, you know, and whenI was him, I would call him, you
know, Darwin, Charles Benfieldversus like, so it was kind of
funny that we use the still useCharles Darwin.
(03:41):
So it was great.
Yeah.
Speaker (03:44):
How would you describe his personality or, but in three
words, how would you describehim?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Loving, I want to say like close.
Was always within a, you know,close proximity and just, uh,
sweet because he had a look thatpeople were always, I hate that
because people look and youjudge someone by its cover and
he was the kindest of any, anyanimal.
(04:11):
And I grew up with dogs and justthe sweetest, sweetest soul.
Speaker (04:14):
That's a great lesson, right?
Great legacy, he to teachpeople, not to, judge a book by
its cover.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I had friends that were terrified and the minute
they saw, and he was so goodwith little kids and older, he
knew when my mom was gettingolder in her life that she
walked differently.
And he would walk with her pace.
Like he knew, he knew one of myfriends, um, was diagnosed with
breast cancer.
And she was telling us, and shewas terrified of him.
(04:43):
And he went and lied on the partof her body that was sick.
Speaker (04:47):
Wow.
And
Speaker 2 (04:47):
she just was diagnosed and he knew something
was wrong.
And she was like, she got a dogafter that.
She was like, there's somethingabout the dogs and the humanity
and she was so scared and hejust knew she was scared of him
and knew she was.
So it was, that's the kind ofdog he just, you know, I know
all dogs are unique, but therewas something.
In my mind, Darwin just wasincredible.
Speaker (05:09):
Right.
Yeah.
He just, he just knew and beingwilling to share that, company
and that healing, I believe somuch in like the healing power
of animals and the fact that heknew that your friend was sick
is that's pretty incredible.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah.
And the other thing I want toshare is, so I went through a
really hard divorce and justlife changing events.
And Darwin, I think for the lastyear of his life, wasn't feeling
well.
He wasn't in pain, but itstarted, you know, he started
having a harder time gettingupstairs.
And just, it was more of aneffort and he whined more and
his personality just got older.
(05:43):
And I'm convinced he made it onelast year to help me get through
to my divorce.
He, he knew I couldn't handlehim leaving at that moment.
Speaker (05:53):
Right.
Right.
I know that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
He knew it.
And he got me like through twoweeks before my divorce and I'm
like, he knew.
And that's emotional.
Speaker (06:04):
Couldn't have done it without him, you know?
Right.
Yeah.
It's incredible.
Having that friend by your side,right.
And it's that unconditional lovethat.
Only a dog can provide in thatway, you know what I mean, of
course there's likeunconditional love and other,
other relationships, but it'sjust, it's just different.
Right.
Cause there was no judgment.
He was just there for you.
(06:25):
There was no, there was, he wasjust
Speaker 2 (06:26):
there.
No.
And I was his whole world.
You know, they always say, youknow, we have many dogs in our
lives, but I was it.
You were his person.
I was
Speaker (06:38):
like, he picked you and he chose you.
I love that.
Uh, um, what would you say hisgreatest lesson was to you?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Really, you can't judge a book by the cover.
You know, a gentle giant.
He was so careful, taking asnack out of your hand and just,
he always wanted to share yourpillow and just that love.
Wow.
I'm really crying.
But he taught never give up.
Even when he was sick and he hadsome weird health problems and
(07:09):
he just, he was always happy.
Just happy to see you, happy tobe near you, would follow you no
matter where.
I mean everyone joked, it's likeup! Where's Elaine?
There's Darwin.
It's like, right.
I mean every one of everything,he just for 13 years was feet
out around.
You know?
It's, it's just unconditional.
Speaker (07:29):
When he passed, is there anything specific that you
did, to memorialize him or, orhow do you remember him today?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So it's interesting.
We ended up, my stepdaughter wasin New York and we ended up
having a beautiful ceremony tocome to end his life.
And we ended up putting him onhis favorite dog bed, but
eulogy.
Each of us wrote something andread it to him while he was
alive.
Oh, that to me, having that,which each of us remember, like,
(08:00):
and my kids were little and it'slike them, their lives of their
first dog,
Speaker (08:05):
right?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
That was, and we had my daughter, FaceTime in, and
just, we each read and we werelaughing about all the funny
stories.
And so it was one of thosemoments, you know, it's the
saddest of times, but you lookand the kids and I were like, he
deserved that.
I went and got him, steak and,and we, made him his favorite
meals and he just loved all thatstuff leading up to it.
(08:27):
And it's like, and then yourealize, Oh, I shouldn't give it
to him more in his life.
You know, he deserves a layevery day.
Right.
But I have a little canisterwith his, ashes.
And, um, You know, I have thepaw prints.
My daughter gave me a beautifulEtsy sketch of him.
So this beautiful painting ofhim, and I've had friends give
(08:49):
me like lockets and all thesedifferent things.
So it's, everyone knew how muchhe meant and all of that is
just, you know, it's healing asyou can hear.
I'll, I'll love him forever, butright.
Of course you will.
Of course you will.
Speaker (09:02):
Lastly, do you have any advice for anyone else who may
have just lost their soul dogor, or any yeah, just any kind
of final, final thoughts.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
,I think.
It's the hardest thing you'll gothrough.
Truly.
I, I say this with loving heart.
My parents death was a littleeasier.
Both of them, because he waswith me all the time.
As they get older, it'sdifferent.
Um, but I really enjoyed goingthrough all the photos., I look
at his photos all the time, evensharing photos with you.
(09:33):
It was like, Oh my God, it wassuch a one fast.
Speaker (09:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
But I mean, so all those photos, it does get
easier.
I swear.
I don't cry like this all thetime.
Um, but it's the, what a greatlove, you know, and just take a
lot of photos when you have yourdog and your loved ones.
Thank you so much for tuning into hear about.
Darwin and Elaine, what abeautiful life they shared
(10:00):
together.
A few lessons.
That I took from this intervieware, um, when, you know, you
know, sometime.
Sometimes the best decisions arethe ones you.
You just know in your heart andare meant.
To be, and you just have to gofor it.
Um, don't judge a book by its.
Cover and make sure to captureall those moments.
Cause we just.
I don't know when it'll be thelast.
(10:21):
You gotta subscribe if you wantto be a part of our future.
And watch the episodes of yourchoice! I've got them in the
description.
Read description for full info.
And how to subscribe.
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