I got the chance to speak to Dolly Parton, and she was full of great life lessons. These are my favorites.

During our last interview together, I asked Parton to share her thoughts on aging in Hollywood, and she promptly responded: “Dollywood and Hollywood are two different places.”

“Of course, everyone would like to stay 35 forever, and in my mind, I kind of do,” she added with a laugh. “But I can’t get caught up in that trap of thinking I’ve got to do this or that. The way I live and the way I work, and the way I feel, I’m going to make every moment count.”

“I may live to be 100, or I may die tomorrow,” she continued. “But whenever that is, I will know I died trying, and I will know I’ve done everything I could to make the most of everything that I could.”

Talk about words to live by.

As I went through my interview notes, I saw all the questions I had compiled for Parton but never asked. Some were very silly — “What revenge dish would you make Jolene?” and “Please explain your crush on Jimmy Fallon” — others were more reflective. But they made me realize another life lesson.

Ask all the questions you can, while you still have the chance.