what an incredible person!

 

of Dolly Parton

those of us from East Tennessee

are blessed with roots in these old, provocative mountains,

and we are often blessed with families

without much wealth as measured in dollars,

but who do have much wealth as measured in love:

the parents who would see us, know us, care for us,

and help us find our way,

even when that way was unique, challenging, a risk,

Dolly Parton grew up within a cocoon of love

that she carried with her throughout her life,

even when her individual path led to success after success,

she still was dedicated to family,

both the families she was born with and the ones she worked to create,

even though so much was stacked against her,

she still was true to self,

success required her spunk, her chutzpah,

to market her appearance so that doors could open,

only then could her full self be seen, 

be heard, be appreciated, be itself,

though selflessness fit her,

she still needed to market her self

so that the public would wake up and notice her,

hours ago Dolly Parton died

and left us to be ourselves without her,

it is time to play her songs, to remember her accomplishments,

to rededicate ourselves to empowering the spunk within us,

like she did, to rededicate ourselves to taking care of community,

maybe first within East Tennessee

but then within all we can touch with our lives,

consider: Dolly found the way to give, to share,

over three hundred million books with the young across all the world

she could find a way to touch,

even unto those kids in Australia, or those who speak Spanish,

for all children are as much children of God

as those in her family and those sharing roots in East Tennessee,

Dolly was incredibly gifted,

but the gift she shared most fully

was the gift of unconditional love,

and the spunk to let it thrive.

by Henry H. Walker

August 25, ‘26