The Two Elvi

"Admittedly, it is sometimes easier to judge someone according to an offending snapshot of their life than to view it as an entire movie, filled with triumphs and failures. "

I came across this quote when reading an article about Elvis. He was someone that wanted to do good, even though the pressures of stardom were too much for him to handle, bearing down on him until he gave in to them. A person who leads a public life is so much more than what that public life suggests. People we know in our own lives only ever show us a glimpse of what is really going on. That is why it is so important to love each other. By regularly taking time to ask our friends and family what is going on in their lives and really listening to them, we can be the encouragement they need to be all they can be.

No man is an island, but we spend a lot of time trying to make ourselves one. It feels safe. But the reality is, that we can do more harm than good by not talking to somebody that will stand by us, hold our hand through the tough times, and encourage us. The pressure will increase until we give in to self destructive tendencies. Elvis was always trying to stick close to what he understood to be right. He did well, when around those that believed in him, and succumbed to the pressure when those people weren't there.

So to quote Bill S. Preston esquire, "Be excellent to each other." Invest time into others. Find people who will invest time into you.