Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I'm just a dog.
Kate (00:14):
So the name of your soul dog was Willie.
Um, tell me how you met Willie.
Raksha (00:22):
Willie, I met through a friend.
There was a litter of sevenpuppies that was put by a female
dog, golden retriever.
And the first, uh, baby, whichwas Willie, was given to one of
this, uh, this person's friend.
And, friend actually did notwant a puppy, so they had given
that puppy so.
(00:43):
He could actually raise it, butthen he decided not to keep the
puppy.
And that's when they startedlooking for a good home.
And coincidentally that, we weresearching for a pup as well.
That's how we went and picked upWillie and he was just around 30
days when we actually put him ina basket and we got him home.
Kate (01:04):
Oh, I love that.
He came home in a basket, likeout of the movies.
Yes.
Raksha (01:09):
So yeah, he slept the entire way when I was getting
him home.
He was very sleepy poppy andthen he was actually being
bullied by his siblings becausehe was the eldest and the
quietest as well.
So he was being bullied by themby, uh, like pulling his tail
and they were like trying tobite him.
(01:30):
Yeah, so he was like a veryquiet and very emotional pup
that I'd got.
And, uh, yeah, that's how hecame home.
Aw, and
Kate (01:39):
how did he, did he come with the name Willie or did you
name him Willie?
Raksha (01:43):
Uh, so, I was supposed to pick him up, I was supposed
to get him, like, two weeks, uh,prior to that, like, not two
weeks, like, a week or somethingprior to when I actually picked
him up, but then they actually,uh, said that they won't be
giving me the pup, and I wasreally sad, and, uh, I came back
home, and I saw Free Willy, andOh, because I I love animals.
(02:08):
And, uh, I was really sad.
And just to boost my, thingmorale up, I actually decided to
see free Willie, and that's howhe got his name Willie, because,
uh, it was just like, itconnected so well, uh, because
everything came back togetherbecause I saw this movie because
I didn't get Willie.
And then eventually I got himafter a week.
(02:29):
So I was like, okay, why notname him as a Willie?
Kate (02:32):
Yes, that's a great, great dog name.
My family had a goldenretriever, Willie, also.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, that's what I was excitedwhen I saw his name was Willie.
If you had three words, howwould you describe him?
Raksha (02:47):
Oh, very emotional, very sensitive, and, very beautiful.
He would actually get a smile oneverybody's face wherever he
was.
So, yeah, so whomever he met, heloved everybody.
And, yeah, he was very beautifuldog.
Kate (03:03):
What about a song that, that reminds you of him?
Or that time period of when youhad him in your life?
Raksha (03:11):
So when I think of it, I just, uh, like the song that
comes into my mind is it feelslike summer because, he was, I
don't know, it was like, it wassuch a happy feeling when he was
around me and I love summer andI feel that that's how he
reminds me of, uh, like, I can'tjust let go of that feeling that
(03:34):
I used to feel when I had Willi,so, uh, yeah.
Yeah.
Kate (03:39):
I love that, the warmth, the carefreeness, like, that,
anticipation of fun in thesummer, it all kind of, embodies
his character, I like that alot.
Yeah.
I know, so, like, just from yourown career history, you travel
very often, did you ever takeWillie on any of your
(03:59):
adventures?
Raksha (04:01):
Yes, so he had actually motion sickness, so I could not
take him everywhere.
But, I would take him somewhereto the close by places.
And, uh, I have taken him to alake, uh, where I used to love
water.
So he would just jump intowater, splash around, and he
would just chase some birds.
And he was very agile as well.
(04:22):
So he would just climb any kindof rocks.
Like he was very fast and hewas, he was amazing.
So I've taken him to a lake inmy own city, Bangalore.
And I think that was the besttime that he had when he just
ran around carefree.
And then he was, he had a lot offun.
just in the water and then yeah,with all the birds.
(04:43):
And that was the first time hewas seeing some buffalos as
well.
So it was really good.
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
Kate (04:49):
Did he start barking at them or how did he react?
No, no.
Raksha (04:54):
He just stood there and he was shocked to see such huge
animals he had never seen.
And it was really cool the wayhe actually stood and tried to
understand what So it was reallycool.
Yeah.
It was amazing.
Yeah.
Kate (05:09):
To see him If you had one more day with him, how would you
spend it?
Would it be at the lake or isthere something else like that?
You had one more day to dowhatever you wanted with him,
what would you do?
Raksha (05:23):
I would first of all, uh, into my life and, uh, being
there in times where I was.
And, uh, he was always with me.
And I would feed him likewhatever he used to love
mangoes.
So I would give him mangoes.
(05:44):
Yeah.
Wow.
That's really cute.
Yeah.
He was very fussy about food,but he would love and mangoes
were one of them.
And so, yeah, I would give himsome mangoes.
Around and play with him likeyou would any even if you would
see like a small piece ofgrassland or something, you
(06:07):
would just start rolling on abig happy.
So I would just take himsomewhere to a grassland where
he can actually roll and thenhave fun.
Kate (06:15):
Yeah, just be carefree.
What would you say, would be,his greatest, the greatest
lesson he taught you?
Raksha (06:22):
Greatest lesson he taught me was to be very
sensitive towards, people.
And, uh, he was always verycautious.
When he would jump, he wouldmake sure that he Touch me.
It would not hurt me if I'mlike, uh, if I have a bear, like
showing my skin, he has donethose things like that, which
(06:43):
has shown me that you need to bemore sensitive towards things.
Kate (06:47):
Yeah.
Raksha (06:53):
And also he has taught me, uh, to be there.
So yeah, to be there withpeople, like when you're alone,
Be there, like you might havenot done anything, but then just
being there, his presence hasstrength.
And I think that actually hastaught me, yeah, that, and it
(07:17):
has been amazing.
Yeah.
Kate (07:18):
Yeah.
Sometimes you don't need grandgestures, right?
Oftentimes just that company andjust knowing someone is there
for you is, Is all, is all youneed to get through a rough time
or just get through the daythat, yeah.
That's beautiful.
I love that.
Was there a certain way that youmemorialized Willie?
(07:39):
When he passed away?
Was there a certain way that youdecided to, celebrate his life
or do you have any advice forsomeone else who's going through
that grief process of losingtheir soul dog?
Raksha (07:53):
So it is a hard process, I wouldn't lie.
It's been many years, but still,it makes me very emotional
because was like a baby for meand, it was like as though I'd
lost my own kid.
So what I would say is justcelebrate the life.
So celebrate those moments.
Mm-Hmm.
or have those pictures aroundyou.
And then that's how I havememorized.
(08:14):
And also whenever, like yourpodcast or even some of the,
publications.
So I've always, talked about himvery openly.
And, I think that's how I cankeep him alive in my own
thoughts by just remembering himand then just feeling grateful.
Of him being dead in my life.
(08:37):
Ow ow ow ow ow.
I'm just a dog.
Kate (00:14):
So the name of your soul dog was Willie.
Um, tell me how you met Willie.
Raksha (00:22):
Willie, I met through a friend.
There was a litter of sevenpuppies that was put by a female
dog, golden retriever.
And the first, uh, baby, whichwas Willie, was given to one of
this, uh, this person's friend.
And, friend actually did notwant a puppy, so they had given
that puppy so.
(00:43):
He could actually raise it, butthen he decided not to keep the
puppy.
And that's when they startedlooking for a good home.
And coincidentally that, we weresearching for a pup as well.
That's how we went and picked upWillie and he was just around 30
days when we actually put him ina basket and we got him home.
Kate (01:04):
Oh, I love that.
He came home in a basket, likeout of the movies.
Yes.
Raksha (01:09):
So yeah, he slept the entire way when I was getting
him home.
He was very sleepy poppy andthen he was actually being
bullied by his siblings becausehe was the eldest and the
quietest as well.
So he was being bullied by themby, uh, like pulling his tail
and they were like trying tobite him.
(01:30):
Yeah, so he was like a veryquiet and very emotional pup
that I'd got.
And, uh, yeah, that's how hecame home.
Aw, and
Kate (01:39):
how did he, did he come with the name Willie or did you
name him Willie?
Raksha (01:43):
Uh, so, I was supposed to pick him up, I was supposed
to get him, like, two weeks, uh,prior to that, like, not two
weeks, like, a week or somethingprior to when I actually picked
him up, but then they actually,uh, said that they won't be
giving me the pup, and I wasreally sad, and, uh, I came back
home, and I saw Free Willy, andOh, because I I love animals.
(02:08):
And, uh, I was really sad.
And just to boost my, thingmorale up, I actually decided to
see free Willie, and that's howhe got his name Willie, because,
uh, it was just like, itconnected so well, uh, because
everything came back togetherbecause I saw this movie because
I didn't get Willie.
And then eventually I got himafter a week.
(02:29):
So I was like, okay, why notname him as a Willie?
Kate (02:32):
Yes, that's a great, great dog name.
My family had a goldenretriever, Willie, also.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, that's what I was excitedwhen I saw his name was Willie.
If you had three words, howwould you describe him?
Raksha (02:47):
Oh, very emotional, very sensitive, and, very beautiful.
He would actually get a smile oneverybody's face wherever he
was.
So, yeah, so whomever he met, heloved everybody.
And, yeah, he was very beautifuldog.
Kate (03:03):
What about a song that, that reminds you of him?
Or that time period of when youhad him in your life?
Raksha (03:11):
So when I think of it, I just, uh, like the song that
comes into my mind is it feelslike summer because, he was, I
don't know, it was like, it wassuch a happy feeling when he was
around me and I love summer andI feel that that's how he
reminds me of, uh, like, I can'tjust let go of that feeling that
(03:34):
I used to feel when I had Willi,so, uh, yeah.
Yeah.
Kate (03:39):
I love that, the warmth, the carefreeness, like, that,
anticipation of fun in thesummer, it all kind of, embodies
his character, I like that alot.
Yeah.
I know, so, like, just from yourown career history, you travel
very often, did you ever takeWillie on any of your
(03:59):
adventures?
Raksha (04:01):
Yes, so he had actually motion sickness, so I could not
take him everywhere.
But, I would take him somewhereto the close by places.
And, uh, I have taken him to alake, uh, where I used to love
water.
So he would just jump intowater, splash around, and he
would just chase some birds.
And he was very agile as well.
(04:22):
So he would just climb any kindof rocks.
Like he was very fast and hewas, he was amazing.
So I've taken him to a lake inmy own city, Bangalore.
And I think that was the besttime that he had when he just
ran around carefree.
And then he was, he had a lot offun.
just in the water and then yeah,with all the birds.
(04:43):
And that was the first time hewas seeing some buffalos as
well.
So it was really good.
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
Kate (04:49):
Did he start barking at them or how did he react?
No, no.
Raksha (04:54):
He just stood there and he was shocked to see such huge
animals he had never seen.
And it was really cool the wayhe actually stood and tried to
understand what So it was reallycool.
Yeah.
It was amazing.
Yeah.
Kate (05:09):
To see him If you had one more day with him, how would you
spend it?
Would it be at the lake or isthere something else like that?
You had one more day to dowhatever you wanted with him,
what would you do?
Raksha (05:23):
I would first of all, uh, into my life and, uh, being
there in times where I was.
And, uh, he was always with me.
And I would feed him likewhatever he used to love
mangoes.
So I would give him mangoes.
(05:44):
Yeah.
Wow.
That's really cute.
Yeah.
He was very fussy about food,but he would love and mangoes
were one of them.
And so, yeah, I would give himsome mangoes.
Around and play with him likeyou would any even if you would
see like a small piece ofgrassland or something, you
(06:07):
would just start rolling on abig happy.
So I would just take himsomewhere to a grassland where
he can actually roll and thenhave fun.
Kate (06:15):
Yeah, just be carefree.
What would you say, would be,his greatest, the greatest
lesson he taught you?
Raksha (06:22):
Greatest lesson he taught me was to be very
sensitive towards, people.
And, uh, he was always verycautious.
When he would jump, he wouldmake sure that he Touch me.
It would not hurt me if I'mlike, uh, if I have a bear, like
showing my skin, he has donethose things like that, which
(06:43):
has shown me that you need to bemore sensitive towards things.
Kate (06:47):
Yeah.
Raksha (06:53):
And also he has taught me, uh, to be there.
So yeah, to be there withpeople, like when you're alone,
Be there, like you might havenot done anything, but then just
being there, his presence hasstrength.
And I think that actually hastaught me, yeah, that, and it
(07:17):
has been amazing.
Yeah.
Kate (07:18):
Yeah.
Sometimes you don't need grandgestures, right?
Oftentimes just that company andjust knowing someone is there
for you is, Is all, is all youneed to get through a rough time
or just get through the daythat, yeah.
That's beautiful.
I love that.
Was there a certain way that youmemorialized Willie?
(07:39):
When he passed away?
Was there a certain way that youdecided to, celebrate his life
or do you have any advice forsomeone else who's going through
that grief process of losingtheir soul dog?
Raksha (07:53):
So it is a hard process, I wouldn't lie.
It's been many years, but still,it makes me very emotional
because was like a baby for meand, it was like as though I'd
lost my own kid.
So what I would say is justcelebrate the life.
So celebrate those moments.
Mm-Hmm.
or have those pictures aroundyou.
And then that's how I havememorized.
(08:14):
And also whenever, like yourpodcast or even some of the,
publications.
So I've always, talked about himvery openly.
And, I think that's how I cankeep him alive in my own
thoughts by just remembering himand then just feeling grateful.
Of him being dead in my life.
(08:37):
Ow ow ow ow ow.
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