I was busy doing what I best like to do yesterday morning. I was teaching math to three delightful children who brought as much light into my life as the relentless August sun has done. It was our first time back to work since the summer break and they were in a joyous mood that kept a smile plastered on my face for hours. It was only when I returned home and opened my laptop that I learned that Dolly Parton had died and I felt a crushing blow in knowing that she had left us here on this earth. 

I did not personally know Dolly Parton but I felt as though I did. I was enchanted by her many talents, her beauty and that smile that came so naturally to her. Like everyone I knew her story of growing up poor but determined to fulfill the dreams that propelled her into becoming one of the beloved entertainers in the world. I enjoyed her presence on this planet because the light that she brought to us was brighter than the most luminous star. 

Some people preach to us but Dolly simply showed us how to live by example. She was a generous soul who embraced people exactly as there were. With Dolly there was no need to put on airs or pretend to be a caricature of some ideal kind of person. She loved people unconditionally. 

Dolly had grown up without much luxury so she understood what life was life for so many Americans who live on the edges of society. She was unimpressed by titles or wealth even though she herself had earned so many. She wanted to make a difference in the world beyond the trappings of success and so she shared the good fortune that she had built with her singing and writing and enormous talent and creativity. She understood how important reading is for the soul and so she launched a program that would put books into the hands of millions of children. 

Dolly Parton was the kind of person that we needed to bridge the gap in our differences and pull us together in a spirit of community. Her smile was genuine and her thoughts were comforting. She didn’t just light up a room, she lit up the entire world. We all saw that she was genuinely kind and understanding. The softness of her lovely southern drawl wrapped us into a warm blanket that felt so soft and so unlike much of the hate that is tossed around far too much in our daily lives. She was comforting and wise.

My Facebook feed filled up with tributes to Dolly Parton from people who knew her intimately to people like me who admired her from afar. She brought us together in a kind of harmony that has been missing of late. She reminded us of what is really important in our lives without scolding us. She was simply herself providing everyone with a beautiful example of how to live a wonderful life. 

I know that we will miss Dolly Parton. She is gone far too soon but I think that we will remember how she showed us the power of giving and loving and accepting without ever preaching. She simply was what she was, the epitome of grace and compassion, a guiding light in a time that too often feels so dark. 

There will be lowered flags and tributes from people in all walks of life. We all know how much we have lost with the death of this diminutive woman with a heart so big that it somehow reverberated to us all. Our sorrow will be on view but I would like to believe that it will prompt us to follow her lead and look outward to serve the needs of all of the people we encounter without judgement or demands. That would be the best way to honor this incredibly wonderful person who united us in a time when we have been encouraged to stay apart. 

Dolly Parton took life by the tail and managed to touch the hearts and souls of the world. May she rest in peace with the angels and saints where she will surely join a heavenly choir. She was one of the best among us and her life will continue to remind us that love is the answer to all of our problems. Like Dolly we can also be the change that we wish to see in the world but first we must give away our smiles.