Was.

I have never had such a hard time writing that word.

Since the moment I took my first breath on this planet, Dolly Parton has been a force of nature. She was simply there. Her voice, her songs, her wit, her generosity, her larger-than-life personality. For as long as I have been alive, Dolly has been part of the world.

The first thing I became aware of when I woke up in Tokyo this morning was the death of the legendary Dolly Parton.

 Content creator @bennettpeach2.0 said it best:

“She wasn’t just a country music singer, she was THE country music singer. She wasn’t just a writer, she was THE writer.”

Was.

She was also the embodiment of kindness.

She came from almost nothing and went on to become the very definition of “put your money where your mouth is.” She founded the Imagination Library because her own father never learned to read or write, putting books into the hands of children across the country and, eventually, around the world.

She was deeply spiritual, but never seemed interested in using that spirituality as a weapon. Instead, she was incredibly loud about love, in all its forms. She was a champion of letting people live their lives, love who they love, and simply “live and let live.”

My personal favorite from Dolly was her version of ｢Hallelujah｣ from the film Unlikely Angel. I don’t think it’s ever been commercially released, but it’s a beautiful song.

She wasn’t just an exemplary human being.

She was an extraordinary human being.

She WILL be missed and she will be loved, forever. 

Rest in Rhinestones…