ROOTS & BRANCHES

The generations living today are undoubtedly the most documented people “in” history.

Well, at least for the moment, but not necessarily “for” history.

Of course, I’m thinking about the ubiquitous “lunch shots” posted on Facebook but, seriously, is there anyone who doesn’t have a question they’d like to ask of a deceased friend or relative? Wouldn’t you like more of their life story preserved … the things that didn’t make it into documents?

Well, the website TSOLife (short for “The Story of Life”) has a solution to these questions. “TSOLife is an online platform for writing your life story, so that your legacy is preserved for future generations,” according to Diane Dupre, the TSOLife director of marketing.

Based on the premise that many people are interested in preserving their life stories but lack the wherewithal to get started, TSOLife provides people with a “revolutionary video guide, it’s never been easier to capture, record, and share the story of a life well-lived.”

There are three levels to TSOLife.

The Basic level, which is free, allows users to get their feet wet with the site, but includes great features such as videos from a writing coach. The site takes users through step-by-step of the process of brain storming for ideas, writing out those idea, attaching photos and recording audios.

The Premium level costs $14.99 a month (or just $99 a year, a 45 percent savings) and includes unlimited stories, ability to record and upload videos, and (in development) additional tutorial videos from well-known guest instructors.

For those who run out of steam as do-it-yourselfers, TSOLife also offers a “Documentary Service” in which they created filmed one-on-one interviews with their Personal Historians. Pricing varies.

At any level, TSOLife gives those interested in family history a great platform from which to tell their story for today and posterity.

Whether it’s recounting the first meeting with a future spouse or an off-the-cuff interview that turned into a longtime job … or even the details of rough patch in life, TSOLife can make those first steps quite easy.

And in a world where too many memories are lost to the crush of everyday living, it offers the opportunity for people to take a step back, to think about their own histories – and make them live forever!

TSOLife also is partnering with funeral homes in their preplanning offerings to clients – their videos become the perfect focal point of memorial services.

To learn more about TSOLife, please go to the company’s website at the URL, tsolife.com.