I’ve never thought about whether there’s a well-known person who exemplifies what it means to live a Time Intentional life — someone who builds a meaningful life through their day-to-day by living their values. But this week, the world revealed exactly who that person is.
Long live Dolly Parton.
When the news of Dolly Parton’s passing broke, a heartfelt, powerful sentiment surged across every corner of the internet: “The one thing we all agree on is Dolly Parton.”
Universally loved. Highly respected. Sorely missed.
What does it take to leave the world in this way? The answer, I think, is that Dolly wasn’t trying to be universally loved, highly respected, or sorely missed at all. She simply knew who she was and lived accordingly.
She knew what she valued — her marriage to Carl Dean, which lasted almost sixty years and was kept largely out of the public eye by her own design; her work, which she did constantly and clearly loved rather than merely endured; her belief that literacy could change a child's life, which she backed with her nonprofit. And my personal favorite, her image. Rhinestones! Wigs! Big heels!
Year after year, decade after decade, she showed up as the same person. She didn’t try to be liked; she spent her energy being true, and being liked happened naturally along the way.
The lesson isn’t to be like Dolly Parton. It’s much simpler than that: be who you are and live a big and beautiful life. Know your values and then live them. Let the rest sort itself out. (And maybe listen to a Dolly Parton playlist when you need a boost.)
How James Cook Uses a Typewriter to Push Boundaries and Create the Spectacular by Madeleine Magill
Butterflies (Smithsonian)
So rather than struggle against time and waste it, let’s dance with time and redeem it, because we don’t live longer when we try not to die, we live longer when we’re too busy livin.
I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is TIME INTENTIONAL, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally in honor of Janet, Dale, and John.
Read more about the meaning and memories behind each section of the newsletter!
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