Being from Tennessee I have always had a soft spot for Dolly Parton, when my mom was pregnant with me she and my dad went to see Dolly and Kenny Rogers in concert and apparently I was kicking and going wild in my mom's tummy the whole time. I can remember listening to all of her new and classic music growing up and through the years I have continued to follow her career. That soothing voice coupled with her amazing spirit of hope and courage make her one amazing woman. Having revolutionized Country Music for decades she has a catalog of hits to pick from, but for some reason today I picked "Better Get To Livin" from her Backwoods Barbie album. As soon as it hit the chorus the first time I grinned and knew why I had somehow randomly chosen this song to listen to first.
There's nothing better than a good anthem, let alone a good county anthem, and who better to sing one than the Queen of Country herself, Mrs. Dolly Parton. Just as most of her other songs this one was as uplifting and meaningful as anything else. Probably because she wrote this song as well as most of her others, gotta have respect for that. A real artist. Anyway, the title of the song says it all - You Better Get To Livin. Dolly tells of how so many people come to her with stories of their woes and hardships and heartaches and she only has one thing to say to them - you only have one shot, one chance, and it's pointless to waste it with things that aren't important.
One line struck me as well, about forgivin'. In order to be joyful and truly live life to its fullest we have to let go of the hate and negativity we hold within us. This includes grudges and ill will towards others. These poisonous thoughts only hurt you, not the person you're so angry at. Life is short - we can either waste the time we have or use it to live. What makes our lives so beautiful is the fact that we die, the fact that we don't last forever. Think about a bright beautiful red rose. When it blooms we all stop to take a second and look and smell. Why? Because we know it wasn't there the day before and it will be there for an unknown limited amount of days.
The secret to life is having a positive attitude, like she says all healing has to start with you. Don't sweat the small stuff, follow your dreams and never give up. The number of minutes we have left is set even if we don't know it yet, so we have to find the joy in each and every minute as it passes by. One of the things I do to help myself think positive and stay joyful throughout my frustrating days is listen to certain songs, sometimes on repeat for hours at a time, when I'm in my truck and sometimes at my desk. You have to find those songs that not only lift you up, but bring out the joy and empower you to keep going. This song is just that. This coming week keep in mind how precious every moment is; come Monday morning ask yourself what you're doing to make each minute worth it. No one else will give meaning and joy to your life, that's your responsibility. Don't ever give up. Find your joy & share it!
