Post by @keepingitrealwithkalyn

Last year we took the kids on a little trip to the mountains before they went back to school. We spent the very last night Dollywood was open for the season, and something about that night broke me in a way I still can’t really describe. My husband thought I was just being hormonal, but I remember walking out of that park that night with tears rolling down my face. I couldn’t explain it then, and honestly, I still don’t know that I can. Something about that night just touched me. Maybe it was the mountains, the music, the lights, watching my babies love a place that I love so much…or maybe it was knowing we were walking out as the gates closed on another season. Whatever it was, I felt it deep in my soul. And today, hearing that Dolly is gone, I’ve thought about that night all over again. Dolly Parton had a way of touching the lives of people she never even met. Through her music, her kindness, her faith, her generosity, and everything she poured into those Tennessee mountains, she made people feel something. I think that’s exactly what I felt that night. My kids love Dollywood, and so do I. I know the next time we walk through those gates, it’ll feel a little different. Some people leave behind more than songs or a name. They leave behind a feeling. A legacy. A little bit of goodness that stays in this world long after they’re gone. You will forever be missed, Dolly. 💜🦋 Thank you for leaving this world a little brighter than you found it. #dollywood #dollyparton #wewillalwaysloveyou