Mindy Carlson

Dolly Parton has died. I feel a little like the person crying out “The Queen is Dead! Long live the Queen!” But we don’t have a new Queen yet.

I saw this post today — taken from Threads after being posted from Bluesky. (which is the most 2026 thing ever.)

Imagine. You are talented, beautiful, and rich & famous and the one thing people say about you over and over and over in their posts about your death is how kind and good you are.

Dolly was good. Dolly was kind.

Honestly, is there anything better than a epitaph like that? I would consider it my greatest achievement if, when I die, the #1 thing people say about me is, “She was so kind.”

Dolly donated over 300 million books to children. And that’s not all. She fed the hungry. She provided medicine to the sick (and paid for the development of the COVID vaccine). She housed those who lost their homes in fires. She embraced all humans with equal enthusiasm and love.

She seems superhuman in her ability to give and care. And I hear you: “It helps that she was rich.”

Well, sure. But you don’t have to be rich to change someone’s life. Sometimes all it takes is simple kindness. A smile in the grocery store aisle. Letting someone merge in front of you on the freeway. Holding a door open for the person behind you when you could’ve gone on your way.

Kindness is the one thing that is always in your power to give. And it’s usually free.

In honor of Dolly, I encourage you to practice a random act of kindness. Each day, or each week, or each month. Whenever you have the strength in you to be kind, do it.