THANK YOU, DOLLY 🦋
Oh, my friends. Along with all of you and everyone, I’ve been grieving the passing of Dolly Parton. She left us on Tuesday, and the world seems a dimmer place without her.
I’ve been trying not to think about her death only as an ending. I mean, of course something is over, and that hurts. But this doesn’t have to feel like the final straw, the snapping of the last thread with which we were barely hanging on. I think Dolly’s legacy, and the best way to honor her, is to remember how she brought people together, across distances and differences. I want to celebrate this beautiful example of who we can be and what we can accomplish when we approach each other and the world with open hearts, humility, kindness, generosity, and grace.
A few years ago, I delivered a talk inspired by Dolly (and also Mr. Rogers). I called it, “Neighborly.” I think I’ll dust that off this week and see how it lands again on Sunday.
For now, I’ll just leave you with a few Dolly quotes, some soul-stirring lyrics, and an invitation to donate to her Imagination Library:
The Imagination Library is a charitable organization that Dolly founded in 1995, in honor of her father, who could not read or write. For 31 years, the Imagination Library has been mailing high-quality, age-appropriate books to children every month, from infancy through age 5. Over 322-million books have been shared with kids around the world. Dolly often spoke of this as her most important work. She said, “I want to be remembered for my books, not my looks.” Both Bosque Center for Spiritual Living and I, personally, have made gifts this week in remembrance of the remarkable light that is and always will be Dolly Parton. IMAGINATIONLIBRARY.COM
“Find out who you are. And do it on purpose.” – DP
“I don’t like to give advice. I like to give people information because everyone’s life is different, and everyone’s journey is different.” – DP
“People just overshoot trying to find God. They’re going outside and trying everything. They don’t realize that it’s right inside themselves.” – DP
“Being a star just means that you just find your own special place, and that you shine where you are. To me, that’s what being a star means.” – DP
LIGHT OF A CLEAR BLUE MORNING (1977)
It’s been a long dark night
And I’ve been a-waiting for the morning
It’s been a long hard fight
But I see a brand new day dawning
I’ve been looking for the sunshine
You know I ain’t seen it in so long
But everything’s gonna work out just fine
And everything’s gonna be all right
That’s been all wrong
‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of a brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh and everything’s gonna be all right
It’s gonna be okay
It’s been a long long time
Since I’ve known the taste of freedom
And those clinging vines
That had me bound, well I don’t need ‘em
I’ve been like a captured eagle
You know an eagle is born to fly
Now that I have won my freedom
Like an eagle, I am eager to fly
‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning
I can see the light of a brand new day
I can see the light of a clear blue morning
Oh and everything’s gonna be all right
It’s gonna be okay.
Peace, Dolly. I will always love you. XO, Drew
