Before i die, i want to...

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Yesterday, I listened to a TED Radio Hour Podcast titled, "Rethinking Death."  TED Radio Hour Podcasts usually involved excerpts of three TED talks related to the same topic.  The first story in this Podcast is about an artist, Candy Chang, who had someone very close to her pass on. With her grief came a focus on life and what is most important about it.

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Yesterday, I listened to a TED Radio Hour Podcast titled, "Rethinking Death."  TED Radio Hour Podcasts usually involved excerpts of three TED talks related to the same topic.  The first story in this Podcast is about an artist, Candy Chang, who had someone very close to her pass on. With her grief came a focus on life and what is most important about it. Wanting to share the insight that this loss prompted her to focus more on life, she had an idea that encourages others to contemplate what is most important to them. She gained permission to paint the wall of an abandoned building in the neighborhood where she lives in New Orleans. She painted a chalkboard wall with the words, "Before I die, I want to ", and provided chalk for passers-by to answer the question publicly. The response was huge and helped those in her community to connect with each other. Her idea has spread around the world, and many of the answers are thought-provoking and sometimes may help people to see that they are not alone. A few examples of answers on these chalkboards are below. Photos and more information are available at the "Before I Die" site.

"Before I die, I want to:
Love.
Skydive.
Save more trees.
Write the story of my ancestors.
Be a part of my community and open a public space.
Open a foster-care program.
Meet nice people.
Travel the world.
Love my husband for 50 years.
Know that I have made a positive impact on the world.
Live!"

Perhaps these examples prompt you to consider what is most important to you? What would you write? Please feel free to comment below. If you visit the Before I Die site, you may find that there is already a chalkboard in your city. If not and you would like to make one, the Before I Die site includes instructions for creating one where you live.