Aging never made Dolly Parton‘s list of fears!
The 10-time Grammy winner has previously spoken about her thoughts on growing old. While it remains a fact that no one can escape the inevitable, the singer never placed focus on counting her years.
Dolly Parton passed away peacefully on August 25 in Nashville at the age of 80. Her death comes more than a year after her husband of nearly 60 years died following years-long health battles.
4Over the years, Parton had been vocal about how she felt about getting older. The octogenarian said that she felt she was “just getting started” in the months before joining the eight-decade club.
Age was just a number for her, and she believed, “If you allow yourself to get old, you will.” When people asked the singer, “How come you don’t seem to get old?’ I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old?” Her response was, “I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about.”
Although Parton lived in the moment and paid no attention to aging, she thought about the legacy she hoped to leave behind. She explained to PEOPLE that as one ages, thoughts of leaving something meaningful with a personal touch become inevitable, which inspired her to write her memoir, “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.”
“I don’t think about my life in terms of numbers… I’ll be the best I can be at whatever age,” the philanthropist told Oprah Winfrey during a 2020 sit-down. She added that feeling and looking young come from an attitude within oneself.
The Singer Shared Her Thoughts About What Comes After This Life
4Shortly after her husband’s death, Parton shared that she believes she will see Dean again someday in the afterlife. She stated that based on her Christian faith, she believes in a world beyond Earth and hopes to spend eternity doing what she loves most: making music.
“I’m hoping to get on up there, and do some more writing, and singing, and playing with those golden harps, and write some more songs, and have my own mansion, and walk them golden streets of glory, and keep doing it forever and ever and ever,” the iconic singer previously said on her podcast.
She noted that she would love to be part of the angel band and probably play the harp before disclosing that she has faith that life doesn’t just end when a person dies. Parton was also open to the concept of reincarnation. In her words:
“I think we’re recycled, and if nothing else, we just go back into that great flow of divine energy, and hopefully we can spread ourselves around in other wonderful ways. That’s what I hope.”
Dolly Parton Got Candid About Her Health Struggles Before Her Death
4Just four days before her passing, Parton addressed her declining health, which put a hiatus on her public appearances for a while. She revealed that she was dealing with certain health issues she had swept under the rug while taking care of her sick husband, who died last year.
While the award-winning performer did not categorically name the health issues, she referred to being “down for several months with female issues” in the early 80s when she also struggled with her weight.
The Blast reported that Parton assured fans of her commitment to making music despite her declining health. In her final months, the Seiverville native was unable to attend public events at the advice of her doctors, which also led her to cancel her Las Vegas residency last year.
The ‘9 To 5’ Artist Recently Told Fans She Was ‘Not Dying’
After a series of virtual appearances for events including a Dollywood attraction, postponed shows and more, fans began to express worry about Parton’s health, especially as her actual health battle was not disclosed.
The cherry on the worry sundae was when the country singer’s sister, Freida, asked the public to pray for Parton’s health. The “Coat of Many Colors” hitmaker made an Instagram video telling fans that she was undergoing treatments for her health problems, but her life was not on the line.
“Lately, everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick?” she said in the video filmed in front of a green screen. “I wanted you to know that I’m not dying,” she continued. Parton added that she was not ready to die and that she had faith God wasn’t calling her to the other side yet.
The Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Awardee emphasized that the video was meant to put rumors about her health to rest. She thanked fans for their concern and asked that they keep her in their prayers.
Dolly Parton Previously Disclosed Her Secret To Staying Young
4The singer tried to always stay active, busy, and productive, even if that meant working on her birthday. She told Business Insider that there was “nothing wrong with working on your birthday if you’re getting good stuff done,” revealing that she worked on her 78th birthday.
Studies show that maintaining an intellectually active lifestyle helps build resilience in the brain against Alzheimer’s disease symptoms such as forgetfulness.
Parton also revealed that she starts her day as early as possible with prayers. She wakes up around 3 a.m. daily, thanks God for the night, and asks for blessings for the day. There is some evidence linking a religious lifestyle to a long life.
The songwriter also shared that she enjoys cooking and eating home-cooked meals, especially Southern classics like biscuits and gravy. On the weekends, she usually has scrambled eggs for breakfast and pinto beans and cornbread for lunch. On Sundays, Parton said she enjoys French toast and bacon and occasionally has a sweet treat.
Hopefully, Dolly Parton is in the angel band playing the harp!
