Your Life Story Keeps Your Family Connected for Generations
By E.L. Wilks, President of Legacies & Memories

Sharing your life story is a cherished gift for your family. Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren – and those in future generations – would no doubt love to read your story if you write it or have it written. After all, they are part of your story and you are part of theirs.

Stories keep us connected. They not only help us understand others, but they help us better understand ourselves. Many baby boomers and seniors say they wished they could have read a book about the lives of their parents or grandparents. But most of them didn’t write one.

When you write your story or have a biographer write it, you are not doing it for yourself, although you will likely enjoy the reminiscing. The reason you write it is for the benefit of your family. You can be assured they will want to read it.

If you think your life is not interesting enough to write about, consider what Mark Twain said: “There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy and tragedy.”

Everyone has a story. It may not be a story with commercial potential that should be in a book that’s published and made available for sale, but the primary reason is to write it is for your family. You may also learn that your local library or historical organization or museum will be interested in having a copy of your book because a person’s life story is often intertwined with the story and history of their local community.

The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.” Truly, your life story will be that kind of a gift. Whether you write it or have it written, what’s important is that you do it so it’s preserved. Another option is to have your life story recorded on video.

Even people who research their family’s genealogy are usually interested in the stories behind the names because stories add context and meaning. And they help families stay connected for generations.

 

About the Author

E.L. (Ed) Wilks is a professional biographer and president of Legacies & Memories, LLC, which writes life stories and produces or publishes the books. www.LegaciesandMemories.com. The firm, founded in 1999, also produces life stories on video. www.YourVideoLifeStory.com.




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