Dolly Parton passed away yesterday. She was eighty years old. It comes as a shock to the world. The president has ordered the flag at half-staff for a week in her honor. Tribute shows will abound and her life discussed and admired. A true icon.

Dolly was known by her first name, she was just Dolly. A multi-talented lady she could act, sing, write songs and play a multitude of instruments. I never heard her speak of politics, get involved with any of that. The media would occasionally try to drag her into that, to her credit, she resisted.

I never saw Dolly perform live. I did go to Dollywood with my family. I’ve seen her movies, listened to her music and appearances on talk shows and the like. I do wonder what she was like on a personal level, was she really as sweet, as jovial in real life?

I’m always amazed when something like this happens. A celebrity of some kind passes away and becomes immortalized immediately. It’s the same thing as when we pass, people will say all the nice things about us, say how much we will be missed, and for a brief time remembered. It’s just in hyper drive when the person is famous or it is the result of some tradegy.

I will always remember who Dolly Parton was. I didn’t know her, I knew the performer. Will I miss her? No, no more than I miss all the others that have gone before her. I’m thinking about those famous folks like Elvis, Merle and Jimi. Time marches on.

Yesterday, as I worked as a volunteer for a local church, I grew tired, my muscles began to ache and regret that I had volunteered crept into my thoughts. Then a small yellow butterfly appeared and fluttered about me. It seemed to linger.

I thought perhaps it was an angel. Remember I’m working at the church. I did feel a bit refreshed, comforted you might say. Then I thought this angel isn’t performing any miracles, I still have to finish the job.

I did finish up that work. I was hot, tired and my back a little sore but feeling accomplished. I had done a good deed for the church. The church leaders didn’t know it was me; it was an anonymous thing.

I picked up my things and went home. Sitting in the air conditioning with my feet up, sipping a cool beverage, I was feeling pretty good about myself. Then the news about Dolly Partons’ passing came on the television.

It was a shock, no doubt. It was then I thought about that butterfly once again, Dolly was associated with butterflies, had she paid me a visit? An angel, on her way to heaven, pausing briefly to acknowledge me?

In the song, Love is like a butterfly Dolly wrote, ” your laughter brings me sunshine ” Dolly brought sunshine to the world. You never see a butterfly in the rain, but they are still there.