Before I die I want to . . .

You never know when something is going to come out of the blue and hit you with its significance.  That happened to me recently while listening to NPR on the car radio.

The host was interviewing a young couple from Washington, D.C., about a project they had done.  I didn't catch all the details about its exact location, but I remember that it was in a heavily populated, non-affluent area of the city.  A graffitied wall, or maybe an old run-down former store-front, served as a place to put up sheets of black chalkboard, with lined columns where passersby could finish the statement, "Before I die, I want to . . ."

They purposely installed it in the middle of the night, so that their activity would attract the least attention.  By early morning they went home to sleep but were awakened at 11 AM by a friend calling to say that half the board was filled up already.  The day saw a steady stream of people contributing their hopes and dreams.  When all the spaces were filled, people would write on the edges, add to other comments, or even erase someone's wish and write in that space.  I don't know how long they left the project there, but every night they would erase the board, and it would fill up the next day.

...I want to pilot a plane

The things people wrote were of an amazing variety!

Of course, there were the usual sentiments: "write a great novel," "see my granddaughter married," "go skydiving" (a lot of this last one!)

But many were beautiful and altruistic: "start many free health clinics," "impact a child's life," "tell my mother I love her."

One that struck me as truly heartfelt: "be the one that she thinks I am and I know I am."
Naturally there were a few, but definitely the minority, who wrote things like "get rich" and "get even with ------." 

This couple was actually following the lead of New Orleans artist Candy Chang, who started this cooperative art work in her city.  The project grew out of some tragic losses she had suffered several years earlier.  Chang says, With help from friends and neighbors, I turned the side of an abandoned house in my neighborhood into a giant chalkboard to invite people to share what is important to them. Before I Die transforms a neglected space into a constructive one where we can learn the hopes and aspirations of the people around us.

 

See the original Before I Die project in New Orleans here

They are popping up in many different cities, some in Spanish if that is the predominant language of the neighborhood.

Of course, in the true entrepreneurial spirit, someone has made it available as a toolkit for purchase

Anyway, I just think it's a fascinating idea--a way for a person to dig deep into his/her dreams and desires, and a positive opportunity for people to connect with others in their neighborhood.

If you've had enough of all this--I hope you enjoyed learning about it, and thanks for stopping by. 

If you are like me, and always want to find out more, here are a couple more sites to check out.

1) There is also a Polaroid Before I Die project, in which people write their comment on their instant photo--while Polaroid film is still available.

2) And the lady who started all this has her website at candychang.com