Welcome to WereYouThere, the place where every story can finally find the audience it deserves. Have a look around. We're just getting started but as we grow, the words and images you come across should stir a few memories of your own.

Our mission is simple: to create a comprehensive and easy-to-use archive where the memories that shape our lives – and history – can not only be preserved but shared, creating a conversation about the moments in life that mattered. 

The concept grew out of my own passion for storytelling both as a former TIME magazine bureau chief in Jerusalem and Chicago and a bestselling novelist. Over the years I’ve received many letters from readers who were moved to share some of the unforgettable moments in their own lives, hopeful that someone might listen. Because what are stories without an audience? At heart, we are all storytellers, telling and retelling our stories to give structure and meaning to our lives. The more letters I read, the more I realized that we all have stories that deserve to be told and remembered. But when I looked online for a place where these memories might come together in a meaningful way, whether from years ago or something that happened last week, I couldn't find one.

So I created WereYouThere.

To begin, just select a category and follow your memory back. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, simply add a new topic yourself. You can also join a Community or start your own. Either way, you’re likely to find plenty of common ground with the people you meet. At WereYouThere, you can: 

• Share stories, photos and videos of growing up in your hometown, your old hangouts, high school or college.
• Remember Woodstock, your favorite travel spot or what it was like to live through Katrina.
• Reunite with others who served in your combat unit at Omaha Beach, Chosin Reservoir, Da Nang or Takrit.
  
• Share a passion for ‘56 Chevys, Elvis or Coltrane.
• Recall the everyday scenes of a time gone by, from the fads and fashion to the cars, the music and the dreams that defined your generation.

We've also built in privacy controls so that you can choose the level of privacy you prefer. Are you more comfortable posting anonymously? No problem. You can block other members from seeing your profile page. Or just give access to approved friends. Only your username appears with your posts. To set your privacy preferences, just go to your profile and click on "Manage my profile."

WereYouThere is designed to bring people together through shared experience, whether reuniting old friends or connecting strangers whose paths once crossed. But we’re much more than just another social network. Instead, each and every member is a contributor to an ongoing digital history project, weaving their memories into a rich tapestry of our collective experience. We encourage noncommercial use of the content posted by members and hope to provide a valuable resource for students, researchers and anyone interested in where we've been. (Please see our Terms of Service for details.)

Everybody has stories to tell. We hope you’ll support this important project and share a few of your own. We welcome your feedback and suggestions.