Elvis & Communication

Sometimes I send out e-mails to be my friends just to keep in touch and to relate thoughts I’m having at the moment. Below is one such e-mail I sent today. Though I only sent it to half my list because I’m just that strapped for time today. Here is a link to read about the Elvis book I referenced in the post.  

 

Hello folks. This is an e-mail to stay in touch that may double as a blog post. Time is short. Today and always.

 

I’ve been reading a biography of Elvis Presley called The Rise Of Elvis Presley—Last Train To Memphis. It’s the first of two volumes.

 

I’m only to page 65, but I’ve been so interested in the author’s discussion of the emotional vulnerabilities that Elvis had and was able to convey to others. The author, Peter Guralnick, writes that in the way a young Elvis sang and interacted with others, there were clearly evident, if mostly non-verbalized, insecurities and emotional needs.

 

While maybe this is true for many of us, when you think of the connection Elvis gained with a wide public, it gives rise to the idea of unexpressed vulnerabilities as a starting point of communication.

 

If we understand our own vulnerabilities and try to reach a respectful understanding of the vulnerabilities of others, we will then have a very good starting point for useful and meaningful communication.

 

By communication in this context, I mean interactions that bind together our personal lives with our more public existence. Like it seems Elvis was able to accomplish at the beginning of his career.  

 

I’ve long held, but have yet to muster the discipline to fully express, by either direct commentary or personal example, the needed connection between our private selves and our more public selves. When the two are connected, both have more value.

 

By “public selves” I mean the full range of interactions with people other than ourselves.

 

Drawing this connection is a project I need to take up soon.

 

I hope all are well.