Dolly

Dolly Parton was a superstar. A songwriter. An entertainer. An American icon.

But I think her greatest role was much simpler:

Dolly Parton was the ultimate citizen.

When wildfires devastated her Tennessee community, Dolly didn’t wait for somebody else to fix it. She stepped up and helped families who had lost their homes.

She gave millions to education and literacy. Her Imagination Library put books into the hands of children all over the world. She supported medical research and helped fund work that contributed to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

And here’s what I love about Dolly:

She didn’t spend her life screaming about whether she was a Republican or a Democrat.

She just helped people.

That’s citizenship.

You see a problem.
You care about your neighbors.
And then you actually do something about it.

We spend way too much time asking, “Whose side are you on?”

Maybe we should start asking:

“What are you doing to help?”

Dolly Parton answered that question her entire life.

That’s an American worth remembering. That’s the ultimate citizen.