I didn’t know Dolly Parton.

So I’m not going to write as though I lost a friend today.

I was just one of millions who watched her, listened to her, laughed with her movies, and occasionally found myself smiling when one of her songs came through the speakers.

But there’s something strange about losing people like that.

They become part of the background music of our lives without ever knowing our names.

And Dolly always seemed to make the world feel a little less mean.

She didn’t need everyone to think like her before she’d love them. She didn’t seem particularly interested in deciding who deserved a seat at the table. She just kept making music, telling stories, helping people, laughing loudly, and being unapologetically herself.

There’s already enough darkness in this world.
Today we lost somebody who seemed determined to add a little light to it anyway.

I’ll miss knowing she was out there. ❤️

— Rowan Vale