America, One Moment at a Time — #2

The Flags at Half-Staff

I noticed the American flag flying at half-staff at Red Rock Park in Lynn.

Later, I saw the same thing in other places as we drove around.

I wondered why.

It was in honour of Dolly Parton, who died this week at the age of 80.

There was something moving about seeing the American flag lowered in respect for an artist. Not just an artist, either, but someone whose life reached far beyond music.

Dolly gave generously to education, healthcare and disaster relief. Her Imagination Library alone has given hundreds of millions of free books to children around the world.

I have always liked the way “Islands in the Stream,” the lovely song she sang with Kenny Rogers, makes you want to drift away somewhere else:

“Sail away with me
To another world…”

And now, seeing the flags lowered for her, I found myself thinking about something else.

Perhaps this is one of the beautiful things about a society—that it can pause, even briefly, to say:

We noticed what you gave us.
We remember you.
And we are grateful.

That little gesture of lowering a flag suddenly felt like a much bigger thing.