I Hope My Boys Live Their Lives Like Dolly

In the days after Dolly passed away, I found myself drawn to learn more about her, her life, and her story. But as I watched a documentary about her, that fancy musician I remembered admiring as a child because she sang with Billy Ray Cyrus slowly became something much more to me: an inspiration.

And I just can’t help but hope that my kids live their lives like Dolly.

I loved hearing interviews with Dolly where she talked about ignoring what other people thought because she liked the way she looked, felt, and who she was. So that’s what she went with.

She found ways to spread goodness and made a name for herself doing it.

And no matter how big or small my boys’ impact will be, I hope they are comfortable being who they are. I hope they are confident like Dolly.

Though I knew some of her history growing up, I had no idea the level of poverty she experienced. She was the fourth of twelve children, and her family lived in a one-room cabin. But she always spoke about the great things from her childhood. She and her siblings made toys and dolls out of scraps because that was what they had. She even turned those experiences into her beautiful song, “Coat of Many Colors.”

My boys have been provided much more comfort in their lives, but I hope they always find joy in what they have. I hope they are grateful and humble like Dolly.

To come from a life like she did, there were obviously many obstacles along the way. But what her interviews continually spoke about was the work she put in to get where she did. The hours of commitment. The challenges. The mistakes and the lessons that came from them.

I hope my boys work hard for what they want and reap the success and rewards that come from that. I hope my boys are hardworking like Dolly.

However, what I think Dolly was best known for was her kindness and generosity.

Though she became very wealthy as an adult, she always found ways to share that wealth with others. Scholarships. Generous donations. And, of course, her passion project, the Imagination Library. If she saw a cause, she found a way to contribute to it.

I hope my boys grow up to have kind and giving hearts that notice other people, see what they need, and find ways to support them.

One interview I found especially moving was an old interview where Julia Roberts shared a moment with Dolly on the set of Steel Magnolias that had stuck with her.

It was incredibly hot on set. Everyone was regularly complaining about how hot and sticky it was. One day, Julia asked Dolly if she was hot and uncomfortable.

Dolly’s response was essentially that she had worked very hard to get to where she was, and this was her dream. She wasn’t going to complain about getting to experience it.

That stuck with me.

She was insightful and reflective. She recognized that even the uncomfortable parts of a dream were still part of the dream.

I hope my boys learn to reflect on their experiences in life and share what they learn with others. I hope my boys are as insightful as Dolly.

I found it so refreshing to learn more about an amazing human being and how many people’s lives were improved simply by being near her.

I appreciate that for 80 years, the world got to learn from a woman who was proud of who she was, what she did, and the work it took to get there.

And maybe that is what I want most for my boys.

I want them to be confident enough to be themselves. Grateful enough to appreciate what they have. Hardworking enough to pursue what they want. Kind enough to notice other people. And reflective enough to learn from the life they are living.

Because those are the traits that make a good life.

And I think those are the traits that can continue to make the world a better place.