by Dr. Kristina Campbell
Saints sometimes appear in unlikely places, and flags are flying at half-staff to honor a saint of my generation. Dolly Parton was uniquely created, uniquely gifted and uniquely full of life and generosity.
In a world that screams out for humility, Dolly was the incarnation of a humble heart. She never forgot her roots in an impoverished hardscrabble Tennessee home where she was the fourth of twelve children. God’s gift of music appeared early in her life, and Dolly sang before she could play an instrument. Her songs were filled with gratitude, love and a generous heart. Every song Dolly sang felt like a hymn.
Dolly was the definition of authenticity, and confidently showed up in her cotton candy hair, never trying to diminish her southern twang. She was the real deal, and made a real contribution to the world around her. She was a symbol of self-acceptance and grace, musically encouraging others to be the same. One of her guiding values was honesty.
Dolly’s faith was strong and personal. She approached her faith with a humble heart saying, “I have a lot of love to give. I take my work very serious but I don’t take myself serious.”
Married for 59 years, Dolly protected the private and sacred relationship of her marriage. Her husband, Carl Dean was rarely, if ever, seen in public, but he was Dolly’s biggest fan. Dolly understood that some relationships are private and are to be held very close to the heart.
Dolly’s faith was at the core of her being, and she often spoke of growing up in a very open-hearted, faith-based family where she was taught to love and be accepting, and to give more than you receive. The essence of Dolly’s faith is expressed in this quote: “Whether you believe in God or not, you need to be grounded; you need to believe in something greater than yourself. We grew up thinking that other people are just as important as we are.” Dolly acted out these beliefs by embracing all people with a welcoming heart.
While exhibiting her posture of acceptance, Dolly radiated joy, and she approached life with a spirit of fun. Dolly believed that to be a true Christian, our hearts have to be open to everyone. She made a joyful noise.
Dolly’s generosity was apparent in all aspects of her life, but her special passion was the Imagination Library. This program mailed a book each month to children in 42 states and Canada. Dolly’s father was unable to read, and Dolly viewed this as a crippling aspect of his life. Dolly herself read approximately fifty books a year.
So thank you, Dolly for giving us an authentic life well lived. Thank you for your authenticity, your humility, your faith in action, your joie de vivre, your cotton candy hair. There is probably some toe tapping going on in heaven, and a lot of angels singing “We Will Always Love You.”