I Picked Up Dolly Parton’s Book the Day Before She Left Us
A reminder that dreams are meant to be lived—and shared
Yesterday, I got some heartbreaking news: Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80.
And what made the news hit me differently was that I had literally just picked up one of her books.
I had put Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You on hold at the library. I remember thinking, I’m going to start this tonight.
So when I got home, I kept my word.
I opened the book and started reading.
It is a short book—only about 121 pages—but sometimes the smallest books can leave you with some of the biggest thoughts.
And now, knowing that Dolly passed away just as I was beginning to learn more about her story, it feels almost like I was supposed to read those pages.
Dream More
One thing I have always loved about books is getting to hear people’s stories.
Not just the polished version.
I want to know where they started.
What did they struggle with?
What did they believe when nobody else believed in them?
How did they turn an idea into something real?
How did someone who started with very little end up making such a huge impact?
That is the kind of story that motivates me.
And Dolly Parton’s story is certainly one of those stories.
Dolly was born into poverty in East Tennessee, one of 12 children. Her family didn’t have much money, but she had something money couldn’t buy: a dream. She started singing young, writing songs and finding her way into the entertainment business long before she became the Dolly Parton the world knows today.
She dreamed big.
And then she worked to make those dreams real.
That’s the part of her story I want to remember.
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From the Mountains of Tennessee to Dollywood
When I read about Dolly, I couldn’t help but think about how important it was that she never seemed to forget where she came from.
She could have left East Tennessee behind.
Instead, she built something there.
Dollywood became more than a theme park. It became part of the story of her hometown and a way to create jobs, entertainment and opportunity in the area that helped shape her.
That’s powerful to me.
Because success isn’t just about getting out.
Sometimes success is about going back and bringing something with you.
Dolly didn’t just say, “I made it.”
She seemed to say, “I made it, and now how can I help somebody else?”
The Book Lady
And then there is the part of Dolly’s legacy that speaks directly to the book lover in me.
Books.
Dolly launched the Imagination Library in 1995, originally serving children in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee. Her father, who could not read or write, was one of the inspirations behind the program. Dolly wanted children to experience the magic and opportunity that books can provide.
What started locally grew into something much bigger.
Today, the Imagination Library provides free, age-appropriate books to children from birth through age five in communities around the world.
That is an incredible legacy.
People may remember Dolly for the music.
They may remember the big hair, the rhinestones, the humor, the movies and the songs.
But I think there is something beautiful about being remembered as the book lady.
Someone who helped put books into children’s hands.
Someone who understood that sometimes a child’s biggest dream begins with a story.
One of my favorite memories is receiving books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for my children. Every month, we would get a new book in the mail, and I absolutely loved watching them arrive. I still have many of those books today because they became more than just books—they became memories. We looked forward to those monthly deliveries until my children turned five. That is one of the reasons Dolly’s legacy as the “book lady” means so much to me. She understood that giving a child a book is really giving them a chance to dream, imagine, learn, and see a world beyond what they already know.
I Want to Read More of Her Story
After finishing Dream More, I already knew I wanted to read more.
Now I want to read her memoir and explore more of her books.
I want to hear more about her life.
More about her family.
More about how Dollywood came together.
More about the foundation.
More about the decisions she made along the way.
Because that’s what I love about biographies and memoirs.
They remind us that the person we see at the finish line had to walk a whole road to get there.
We see the success.
The book lets us see the journey.
What Does It Mean to Live Your Dream?
Maybe that’s the question Dolly leaves me with.
What does it mean to actually live your dream?
Is it becoming famous?
Making money?
Building something people recognize?
Maybe.
But I think Dolly’s life shows us something deeper.
Your dream can become bigger than you.
You can dream for yourself and eventually create opportunities for other people.
You can become successful and still remember your hometown.
You can have money and still give.
You can have fame and still make children feel special.
You can build businesses and still build people.
You can write songs that entertain millions and create programs that change children’s lives.
That is a legacy.
Your Dream Is Still Waiting
Reading Dream More last night and learning that Dolly was gone gave me a strange feeling.
Because here I was, sitting at home with her words in my hands, while somewhere in the world people were saying goodbye to her.
But maybe that’s the beautiful thing about books.
The person can leave, but the words keep traveling.
The dream keeps traveling.
The lessons keep traveling.
The inspiration keeps traveling.
Dolly Parton lived 80 years, but she created things that will continue long after those 80 years.
Children will continue receiving books.
People will continue visiting Dollywood.
Songs will continue playing.
People will continue discovering her story through books.
And dreamers will continue hearing her message.
That’s the kind of life that reminds me not to wait.
Not to wait until everything is perfect.
Not to wait until I have more money.
Not to wait until everybody understands what I’m trying to build.
Start with what you have.
Dream with what you have.
Learn.
Work.
Keep going.
And when you finally get somewhere, turn around and help somebody else get there too.
Thank You, Dolly
Dolly, I didn’t know you personally.
But through your music, your books, your businesses, your philanthropy and your story, millions of people got to know a piece of you.
And now, as I sit here thinking about the book I had just picked up, I am grateful I kept my word to myself and opened it.
I may have started reading it because I wanted inspiration.
But after yesterday’s news, it feels like something more.
It feels like a reminder.
Dream more.
Learn more.
Care more.
Be more.
Those words are part of the mission Dolly created through her foundation, and they are a beautiful way to think about the life she leaves behind.
My prayers and love go out to Dolly’s family, friends, loved ones and everyone who is mourning her loss.
Thank you, Dolly, for dreaming big.
Thank you for showing us that where you start doesn’t have to determine where you finish.
Thank you for loving your hometown.
Thank you for loving children.
Thank you for loving books.
Thank you for giving people reasons to believe in themselves.
And thank you for showing us that a dream can become a legacy.
Dolly Parton will be missed. But her story isn’t ending.
It is continuing in every song, every book, every child turning a page, every dreamer who decides to try, and every person who chooses to give back.
And maybe that’s the lesson I needed most:
Don’t just dream about the life you want. Start building it.
And while you’re here, don’t forget to tell your family and friends that you love them.
Call them.
Check on them.
Hug them.
Say the words.
Tomorrow is never promised.
So dream your dream.
Love your people.
Read the book.
Take the trip.
Start the business.
Make the phone call.
Do the thing you’ve been putting off.
Because one day, somebody may be telling your story—and I hope they can say:
“They dreamed it, they lived it, and they made life a little better for somebody else.”
Rest peacefully, Dolly Parton. 💕🎶📚
