Dolly Parton might still save us

Yes, I’ve always been a dreamer, and yes, I have always tried. And dreams are special things. But dreams are of no value if they’re not equipped with wings and feet and hands and all that. If you’re going to make a dream come true, you’ve got to work with it. You can’t just sit around. That’s a wish. That’s not a dream.

Dolly Parton

Are you as in awe of Dolly Parton's talent and generosity as we are? (In case you missed it, she donated $1 million to the Dolly Parton Covid-19 Research Fund at Vanderbilt University, which worked with the drugmaker Moderna to develop a coronavirus vaccine.) Dolly is a singer, actress, theme park developer, philanthropist and writer. She's written more than 3,000 songs and she writes every day. Thank you, Dolly, for doing it all.

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We are preparing for a pipsqueak Thanksgiving, just immediate family and one Grandma. The turkey will be small, the dining room table won't be expanded, and dessert will be one single gluten free apple tart . As a friend's yoga instructor said, "This is what it is now."

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Short reads to get you through that hearty meal 🍛
Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving, as we embrace what this is now. Over the break, we’ll be reading Brit Bennett’s novel, The Vanishing Half. If you’re looking for short, free, inspiring reads, check out Anthony Bourdain’s Don't Eat Before Reading This, E.B. White,’s Once More to the Lake and the awesome and inimitable essay by Joan Didion, Goodbye to All That.

As always, we are thankful for you, our writing community. There is power and strength in writing and reading together. ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾