"Your past is your story up to now. The future is the story yet to come. The present is where you live with that experience, your hopes and your dreams."

Opening Remarks: Celebrity Death Watch

In the past few weeks five famous people have died: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays and Walter Cronkite. As we’ve all witnessed from the incredible amount of media coverage, sometimes famous people are larger in death than in life.

It’s not unusual for us to think about life and death when others die. This is especially true for our close family members and friends. But celebrities also can get us thinking about life. We hunger for details about their lives, but it also can get us reflecting on our own. I hope that you seriously consider the importance of your life and your story. Get started on preserving it. You have a story to share. Motivate yourself with the phrase Walter Cronkite popularized in his nightly newscasts – “That’s the way it is”.

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While the main focus of this newsletter is to share thoughts, ideas, and insights on life story writing you should know that I offer various services and also mention some products and services that can be helpful. You are under no obligation to purchase anything, but if any of these products or services are helpful and you decide to utilize them then I am most grateful.

Thanks for reading. – Tom

Featured Article: The Real Moon Walk

Certain historical events capture the imagination and attention of the whole world. On July 20, 1969 my family was gathered around the television in our living room. We were watching history in the making as Neil Armstrong descended the ladder of the lunar module and stepped on to the surface of the moon. NASA’s Apollo program had achieved the ambitious challenge John F. Kennedy issued to the country several years before, to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.

This was such an amazing event to witness. Walter Cronkite, the esteemed CBS news anchor who just passed away, was awed. “Wow”, he said. That was the response of so many of us. It was truly momentous and…yes…otherworldly. Even though we were watching a broadcast in black and white that seems archaic by our modern media standards it still left me breathless. As a kid I grew up watching nearly every space mission and this was highlight of all the previous missions. As a 13 year old this event was far more significant to me than the exploding rock music culture which I would come to appreciate a few years later.

When you contemplate your life story it helps to place it in context with significant events, be they men walking on the moon or the death of an entertainer known for his “moonwalk” dance. Neil Armstrong made one small step for man that became a giant leap for mankind. Michael Jackson sold more records than just about any musical performer and also lived a life that was full of curiosity and spectacle. Each of you has also lived through memorable times – like graduating from college, getting married, having children, battling illness or holding the hand of a loved one as they die. Consider your personal history and also contemplate how your story is shaped and affected by the historical events you live through.

All of it is story. All of it is ultimately history.

You can read other articles on life-story writing here.

Resources You Can Use

The Journal Software is so much more than just “diary software”. Great tools, templates, writing prompts and organized with so many wonderful features, all for less than $40! I use it and highly recommend it. Find out more here.

Priceless Legacy

The Priceless Legacy Company has an exciting and affordable way to give you a high-quality / high-tech / high-touch service to preserve life stories. The LifeStory Package includes the audio from the interviews and a digital slide show of photographs, preserved on DVD, along with a beautiful hard cover book with pictures and the life story presented in an engaging first person written narrative. Preserve a life story – even the story of couples (ask me about this special option). You can find out more here.

MemoryPress

Have you checked out MemoryPress Books? This is a really great way to get started on your life story. And you can use the system for any number of different types of shorter projects. I frequently suggest commemorating a wedding, anniversary, graduation, career, a life changing event, funeral book or for any worthwhile reason.

This is a user-friendly online way to build your story into a book. Upload pictures, invite others to contribute writing, select a cover and revise, edit and proof your book and then a turnkey process binds and prints it. You can do the whole thing yourself with great customer support and instructions. If you find you need more help, like a writer or editor, I am available for hire to assist you and get that long awaited story to print. You can find out more at here.

Check out the wide variety of family and personal history/life story services offered through Your Life Is Your Story. I look forward to working with you to capture your life story.

Closing Information

Any comments, ideas or feedback is greatly appreciated. Just reply to this ‘zine and tell me what you think!

Until next time, – keep your story alive!

Tom Gilbert