Thursday, December 29, 2016

An open apology to Dolly Parton

I'd heard of some things, but not this:
For example, I’d heard about your origins as a poor girl from the hills of East Tennessee, and when I learned you’d created a theme park in your native Sevier County I rolled my eyes. “Really, a theme park?” I thought. “As if roller coasters will really help the people of rural Appalachia. Why not create something truly useful to give back to your community, like a library.”

Oh.

You have created a library, actually, and possibly in a bigger and more magical way than any brick structure filled with books could. And this is where my understanding of who you are really began to shift.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Heard she sends a FREE book every month for five years to children who ask to be part of the scheme, that more than anything sold her to me