If there’s one thing the Black community knows how to do, it’s show up and offer prayers and beckon others to do the same when needed.
Such was the case with Dolly Parton, the 79-year-old country singer who has, for as long as I can remember, been a fan favorite of nearly every community in America. She’s recently been dealing with health issues, and a message posted to Facebook by her sister, Freida Parton, on Tuesday, October 7, had Black folks concerned enough to lift up Parton’s name to SkyDaddy in hopes of recovery.
“Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly. Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She’s strong, she’s loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!” read the doomsday-sounding message.
While Freida later clarified that she was basically being a protective and worried little sister and “didn’t mean to scare anyone,” the social media streets got the early message, locked in and got in formation. For the record, and according to folks in Dolly’s orbit, including another sister, she’s just under the weather and dealing with kidney stones.
Users across social media platforms prayed with their eyes closed, fingers moving feverishly asking for the Lord Up Above to make sure Dolly was okay.
“the world CANNOT lose dolly parton…even if you don’t believe in a god you better f——n pray,” wrote one user on X, informing atheists that even they could (and needed to) get in on this action. Another shared, “Everybody pray for Dolly Parton right now. That’s a good, kind white lady who believes in charity, giving back and literacy!!!!” X was a lot like this in the name of good sis Dolly.
On Instagram, the prayers were rampant as well. One user took the opportunity to send a nod to one of Dolly’s most famous songs, “9 to 5” to send up some well wishes: “Lord Dolly has been working 9 to 5 plus overtime and we ask you in the name of Jesus to send her strength, joy, peace and your love!”
Because no prayer is complete without explaining the WHY of what we are praying for, one user laid the game down quite flat, stating: “The Fact that she supported urban children in need, endorsed Black Lives Matter while backing Queen Bey with Country music, used her royalties from “I’ll Always Love You” sung by Whitney Houston and put in back into the Black Community, read to children on line during Covid to prevent a decrease in literacy rates are only a few things she’s done for our us and Black Culture…”
Not for nothing, a not unsubstantial amount of prayers asked if SkyDaddy got some of the —SIGNAL INTERRUPTED—wrong.
Either way, we’re glad to know that Dolly isn’t on her deathbed and simply dealing with medical issues as many of us are. However, it’s always a good idea to offer up prayers for folks even if it doesn’t seem like they need them. You never know what folks are going through, so excuse me as I send a prayer up for Dolly right quick—and to anybody else who could use it.
