Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Blue Moon]

In reading this book, what amazed me is the number of birthdays Elvis' remembered and the # of sick people he contacted for well wishes.

For birthdays he would either call and/or send flowers and would do this for so many people, I don't know how he kept track of them all. Did he write them down or simply remember them all in his head? I figure he must have been giving birthday greetings to at least one person every single day.

And then all the people he called who were sick, staying in the hospital and/or recovering. These were not just people he knew but the parents and relatives of those he knew. He went out of his way to comfort these hurting people.

This is a side of Elvis that I have not come across in any other book I've read, probably because birthday greetings and well wishes to sick people do not sound significant, yet the sheer #'s of calls to people and flowers sent do show an imortant side to his character. He was someone who very others focused. He had great concern and care for the well being & welfare of other people. He was clearly a very unselfish man; always living to bring joy into the lives of other people.

[Wanda June Hill]

I have a couple of books that he gave me and there are notations: One says to "remember Charlie's birthday" and another one says:"Don't forget to call" and I can't make out the name as it's scribbled to much but I'm sure he remembered. I asked him if he kept a calendar and he said he had a little one on his desk that had a page for each day and when he had to or wanted to remember something he'd just note it on the right day etc: I said do you keep all those pages...when done with them and he kind of snickered and said, "some"-but mostly he tore them up and trashed them. He talked to lots of people sometimes, I guess everyday and I know he knew people we had no knowledge of-probably some somewhere like us too-he said he had lots of friends all across the country that he liked to keep in touch with...so???? He most likely would make a note of something like that as he talked to them otherwise I can't see how anyone could keep up! I wondered myself. I know the last week of his life another more casual friend we knew through closer friends, mother had died and he called to ask what color her dress was going to be and then he sent lavender colored orchids for her to wear at her funeral. And he sent Heather to her family....they got it the morning he died...the guy delivering them was crying as he made the delivery. I was so stunned that anyone (not just him) would even think about asking about such a thing and then following up with orchids- She had never had orchids her son said, that he knew of, in her life. I hadn't either until I got married and my aunt brought one for me... and then I had not had any again until Elvis sent me a spray of them for my birthday-the first time he knew when it was-the first year I knew him. A whole spray! I kept them in the refg. so they'd last and they did for almost 4 months! Then I dried them and had them until we moved one time or another and they got crushed some how or another. I still have some peacock feathers from his peacocks and the piece of desert wood-which I can't recall the name of the cactus that dries full of holes now...which I picked up near his Palm Springs house. I made a hanging arrangement of the feathers and it and it hangs on my office wall today. Kind of bedraggled looking but it's still here.
As for his ability to do things, I have no clue how he kept up with things like that- It amazed me too, but he did have a photographic memory and could read something, a full page and recite it, close the book or whatever and recite it word for word with ease...I saw him doing that for fun when he was just 28 years old...he was the only one in the room who could recall something word for word...I sure couldn't get past the first sentence! I didn't play the game with those who were-and before it was over Elvis was quoting Bible passages...a couple of girls were checking up on his accuracy and he was correct most of the time, maybe changing a word here and there but still keeping the meaning exact. I know he had a brain-he just couldn't seem to figure out his own personal problems well, stewed over them too much and beat himself up too much for not being "perfect". wjh

[Sarena]

As for his ability to do things, I have no clue how he kept up with things like that- It amazed me too, but he did have a photographic memory and could read something, a full page and recite it, close the book or whatever and recite it word for word with ease...

Really amazing, and apart from his photographic memory maybe his "seventh sense" , which he himself told that he had developed, helped him a good deal. He did all these wonderful things, he is one of a kind and we may never find out all his "secrets"...

[Rainbow Light]

Yes, truly amazing when you consider how tough his touring schedules were and how much Elvis must have taken on in so many ways to help and touch people during his life, he did so much and great to read of them all in the book!

[Rainbow Light]

Bringing this back around for anyone who may have missed out the first time !