Before I Die, I Want To....

What do you want to do before you die? The Before I Die project has posed this question to thousands of people on over 4000 walls around the world. The answers range from idealistic goals, such as “Before I die I want to… see equality” and “Before I die I want to… Change the world,” to more simple wishes, such as “Before I die I want to… plant a tree” and “Before I die I want to… own a boat”. The wall eloquently reveals both the similarities and unique strivings of diverse communities.

Candy Chang started the Before I Die Project to deal with her own grief following the loss of her close friend. She realized that her under-exposure to healthy ways of talking about death complicated her grieving process.

The idea behind the wall is simple. The words “Before I die I want to” are followed by a blank space where people can write their thoughts. The walls are placed in a public space, such as outside of a restaurant or on a popular street, and then passersby can and add their hopes and aspirations. The wall encourages people to reflect on their own mortality while creating a sense of community — we all have to face death.

What do you want to do before you die? Share in the comments.