It always seems like Dolly Parton has the right outlook for any given situation. Work, romance, self confidence, the meaning of life, she seemingly keeps a clear head about it all. Even with something as stark and life-altering as grief can be, she would lead with gratitude for the time had. It could've been so much easier to flail in response to the worst case scenarios but cooler heads prevail for Dolly.
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This goes for the matter of aging as well. Time is a cruel, relentless road that can ravage our headspaces if we don't navigate it correctly. Truthfully, nobody wants to age. The 20s is the sweet spot, you can still be young and dumb while having real liberty to do anything. But every year brings more complications, wrinkles that nobody wants, and balding for the unfortunate out there. But Dolly manages to make that seem like a breeze, too. She's kept her beautythrough all the changes in her life, even deep into her 70s. How does Parton do it? What's her secret?
Dolly Parton Gives Out Her Secret to Aging Gracefully
In a 1987 archive interview restored from TikTok, a woman asks the simple question of Parton's age. She admits that it's embarrassing but Dolly doesn't even bat an eye about it. In typical fashion, she answers candidly and treats everything with a clearheaded gratitude that none of her success was promised. "Well, I'm not embarrassed at all. I'm really happy for every year that I've lived because I feel like I've accomplished a great deal in my life. I'm 41 years old, I was born January the 19th in '46, and like I say, 10 years from now I'll probably be sorry I told you that date," Dolly quips.
It's that same gratitude and that lust for life that keeps Parton looking young and happy. We know that none of this is guaranteed; we don't know that we'll ever get another crack at this life thing. Consequently, Dolly urges the woman to seize the day in every way she can. Then, the perils of life won't massacre you so deeply and affect that dreadful aging process. "I think you're only as old as you are, and you should make the most of every year you live," she stresses. "I think you should be proud of yourself, make every moment count, and when I get to looking too bad, I'll just put a sack over my head and come out and sing to you!"
