Goodbye, My Friend

We got Edison from the Town Lake Animal Shelter in Austin in 2000.  For me, it was pretty much love at first sight - a little white and tan puppy with a patch over his eye.  He was also playful and friendly.  One of my most cherished memories is carrying him out of the pound that day in one arm, like a football.  He grew to be very large - about 120 pounds at one point.  And it turned out he was smart, which was a good thing since we'd optimistically named him "Edison".  We taught him how to behave himself, which is crucial for a dog that large.  And of course we taught him some nifty tricks like how to fall down and lay down when you point your finger at him and said, "bang!"  The best trick was how to ring a bell we had tied to the knob on the back door whenever he needed to pee or just wanted to go outside.  He rang that thing so much, I wondered who had been trained - him or us.  But we never had to teach him how to love.  He knew that one from the start and taught me quite a few things about it.  He was a more patient teacher than I was.  His love was boundless, unconditional, and in unlimited supply for whoever wanted it.  Today Edison died after 14 years of sharing his love so generously with me and my family.  I already miss him terribly.

Edison, 2000 - 2014