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Responses

Whether written in Spanish, Korean, or Farsi, we find the same universal chords: anxiety about loss, desire for meaning, a need for forgiveness, and a hope for a fresh start. Find inspiration and consolation in these selected responses from Before I Die walls around the world.

New Haven, Connecticut | Photo by Uma Ramiah

Before I die I want to fall in love.

Najaf, Iraq

Before I die I want to tell Gina I'm sorry.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to live in a world without sexism.

Barcelona, Spain

Before I die I want to end elitism.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to look back and be able to say I did my best.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to end oppression.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to stop wanting.

London, England

Before I die I want to love recklessly again

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to write a bedtime story.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to find closure.

Erfurt, Germany

Before I die I want to see social justice for all.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be someone my old self can be proud of.

Barcelona, Spain

Before I die I want to meet the love of my life.

Baku, Azerbaijan

Before I die I want to be a good mother.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to not be jealous.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to make my mother proud.

Lagos, Nigeria

Before I die I want to speak to a parent I've lost contact with.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to get married for the tenth time.

Dublin, Ireland

Before I die I want to live a life my grandchildren will never believe.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to end political corruption.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to spend time outside with my mum when she is feeling well.

Bath, England

Before I die I want to live a clean and sober life.

Reno, Nevada

Before I die I want to quit heroin, turn my life around, and have my kids look at me with pride.

Reno, Nevada

Before I die I want to repay the kindness of others.

West Lafayette, Indiana

Before I die I want to let go of all my fears.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to accept my mental illness.

Boulder, Colorado

Before I die I want to clean up our neighborhood park.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to see my mom cancer-free.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Before I die I want to help my neighbor.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to hang out with North Korean children.

Pohang City, South Korea

Before I die I want to see my first love again.

Toyama, Japan

Before I die I want to teach my kids to save the planet.

Before I die I want to support my parents as they supported me.

Reno, Nevada

Before I die I want to tell my wife how much I appreciate her company.

Taipei, Taiwan

Before I die I want to be remembered for selfless acts.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to beat breast cancer.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to live slowly.

Richmond, Virginia

Before I die I want to be brave on the road less traveled.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to be decisive.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to feel complete.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to go on an archaeological dig.

Springfield, Missouri

Before I die I want to find love again.

Carlow, Ireland

Before I die I want to cure cancer.

Najaf, Iraq

Before I die I want to be more spiritual.

Saskatoon, Canada

Before I die I want to overcome my fear of flying.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to leave an impression.

Bellevue, Washington

Before I die I want to accompany him forever.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to learn to let go.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to understand women.

Erfurt, Germany

Before I die I want to not be lonely or pity myself.

Denver, Colorado

Before I die I want to have an honest conversation with my mom.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to be loved by my daughter-in-law.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Before I die I want to be accepted by my family.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to take good care of my family.

Waterbury, Connecticut

Before I die I want to become a "real" business woman.

Tehran, Iran

Before I die I want to not be homeless.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to have people say I am a reliable man.

Galicia

Before I die I want to commit unconditionally.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to discover my own path.

Kunming, China

Before I die I want to plant one thousand trees.

Melbourne, Australia

Before I die I want to donate blood.

Sabah, Malaysia

Before I die I want to see my mom walk.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to donate lots of money.

Crete, Nebraska

Before I die I want to come out of the closet to my football team.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to stop judging myself.

London, England

Before I die I want to save a life as a police officer.

Before I die I want to create a masterpiece.

Charleston, South Carolina

Before I die I want to become someone who doesn't lie.

Amakusa, Japan

Before I die I want to live without regret.

Herzliya, Israel

Before I die I want to read all the classics.

Budapest, Hungary

Before I die I want to have it come naturally.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to go deep into the mysteries of my own soul.

Richmond, Virginia

Before I die I want to suspend judgment.

Budapest, Hungary

Before I die I want to reform education.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to tell my mom that I am sorry I let go of her hand.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to find my father.

Carlow, Ireland

Before I die I want to make my family peaceful.

Bellevue, Washington

Before I die I want to stare at the stars with the people I love.

Pohang City, South Korea

Before I die I want to find my birth mother.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to find and kiss her one last time.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to return to nature.

Shanghai, China

Before I die I want to be loved back.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to marry my best friend.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to organize 1000 exhibitions.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to not lose my health care.

Portland, Oregon

Before I die I want to have a great love of my life.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to tell my dad he's forgiven.

Lawrence, Kansas

Before I die I want to help my brother find peace.

Marfa, Texas

Before I die I want to sing even if I sound bad.

Melbourne, Australia

Before I die I want to heal someone’s heart.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to follow my childhood dream.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to meet God.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to publish a book.

Waterbury, Connecticut

Before I die I want to open a bookstore.

Hyderabad, India

Before I die I want to see an earth without poverty.

Nairobi, Kenya

Before I die I want to compose a beautiful song.

Córdoba, Argentina

Before I die I want to have more presence, less panic.

Glasgow, Scotland

Before I die I want to be proud of myself.

Södertälje, Sweden

Before I die I want to get along with my daughter.

Dallas, Texas

Before I die I want to find my son.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to be the best dad I can.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to eat all the carbs I want.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be debt free.

Mount Vernon, Washington

Before I die I want to find someone who will understand me.

Brno, Czech Republic

Before I die I want to be fluent in many languages.

Mountshannon, Ireland

Before I die I want to be in remission.

New Haven, Connecticut

Before I die I want to thank all the soldiers.

Reno, Nevada

Before I die I want to help my children succeed.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to fix my relationship with my brother.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to quit worrying about money.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to see Detroit thrive again.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to buy my mother a house.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to repair my broken heart.

Lisbon, Portugal

Before I die I want to improvise with confidence.

Washington, D.C.

Before I die I want to find grace in aging.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to enjoy the 'now'.

Berlin, Germany

Before I die I want to see the blue ice of Alaska.

Melbourne, Australia

Before I die I want to travel through space and look through galaxies.

Shanghai, China

Before I die I want to touch the lives of one billion people.

Chennai, India

Before I die I want to write letters to friends and family that they can have after I'm gone.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be forgiven by you.

Singapore

Before I die I want to understand myself.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to be completely myself.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to love my body.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to really know my parents.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to know I can legally marry the one I love.

Memphis, Tennessee

Before I die I want to live on my own terms.

Kerala, India

Before I die I want to get her back.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to teach kids to live, love, and be free.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Before I die I want to tell her the truth.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to get clean.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to go on a reading holiday.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to make my mother tear up with pride once again.

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Before I die I want to share all my possessions.

Saskatoon, Canada

Before I die I want to face death bravely.

Shanghai, China

Before I die I want to see my youngest fly.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Before I die I want to finalize my divorce.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to be the first native Prime Minister.

Saskatoon, Canada

Before I die I want to write beautifully.

Belfast, Ireland

Before I die I want to help someone grow.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to make a positive impact on everyone I meet.

Tokyo, Japan

Before I die I want to keep getting better every day.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to get off Prozac.

Raleigh, North Carolina

Before I die I want to get my wife back.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to save the tigers.

Mumbai, India

Before I die I want to see him one more time.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to do something about the loneliness of elderly people.

Den Helder, Netherlands

Before I die I want to enjoy waking up early.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to see my students become teachers.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to plant a tree.

Erfurt, Germany

Before I die I want to bring peace of mind to my mom.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to ride my bike coast to coast.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to change the prison system.

Fresno, California

Before I die I want to support myself with my art.

Black Rock City, Nevada

Before I die I want to be a mentor.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to tell him how much he meant to me.

Kladno, Czech Republic

Before I die I want to stop throwing away all the good things that are given to me.

Louisville, Kentucky

Before I die I want to be totally vulnerable.

Austin, Texas

Before I die I want to let my walls come down.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to be a better father and remarry my wife the right way.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Before I die I want to know what I want.

Columbus, Georgia

Before I die I want to love my wife more.

Marfa, Texas

Before I die I want to know if I will be with my Jack again.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to coach an Olympian.

Toledo, Ohio

Before I die I want to love myself so I can love others.

Storrs, Connecticut

Before I die I want to make my daughter proud.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to see a just society.

Madrid, Spain

Before I die I want to know my grandchildren understand.

Austin, Texas

Before I die I want to know many places.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to be a good father.

Beersheba, Israel

Before I die I want to see my son again and have a relationship with him.

Rome, Italy

Before I die I want to learn to be patient.

Rome, Italy

Before I die I want to be sure she knows that I already do love her.

Paris, France

Before I die I want to be useful.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Before I die I want to make my brain a lot quieter.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to bring my family out of poverty.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be satisfied with myself.

Columbus, Georgia

Before I die I want to enjoy my friends.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to make something really meaningful.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to teach my grandkids to garden.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to make a difference.

Kerala, India

Before I die I want to be a Youtube sensation.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to get free from desire.

Nilai, Malaysia

Before I die I want to pay off my student loans.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to walk without my cane.

Springfield, Missouri

Before I die I want to live with intensity.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to see my son graduate college.

Kerala, India

Before I die I want to let go of my anxieties.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Before I die I want to matter to someone.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Before I die I want to be the president of my country and make her corruption free.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to build the most creative house.

Pohang City, South Korea

Before I die I want to stop drinking.

Córdoba, Argentina

Before I die I want to be accepted by my parents.

Seoul, South Korea

Before I die I want to be there for my parents when they die.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to set souls on fire with my words and actions.

Lagos, Nigeria

Before I die I want to travel aimlessly with a backpack and my dog.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to find a career I love.

Marfa, Texas

Before I die I want to make music in New Orleans.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to worry less.

Lexington, Massachusetts

Before I die I want to tell my mother I love her.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to stop worrying about my marriage.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to have a living child.

Tonawanda, New York

Before I die I want to be ok with it all.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to learn how to enjoy myself and let go.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to love and be loved

Tehran, Iran

Before I die I want to have my second chance of life.

Long Beach, California

Before I die I want to live without a cluttered mind.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to teach my sister how to surf.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to be happy with myself.

Bellevue, Washington

Before I die I want to build a public school.

Xalapa, Mexico

Before I die I want to learn to appreciate what I have.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Before I die I want to abandon all insecurities.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to change closed minds.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to see my daughter come home from Afghanistan.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to visit my homeland.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to meet my neighbors.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to live out the rest of my years in peace.

Anjo, Japan

Before I die I want to stop being afraid to fail.

Aarhus, Denmark

Before I die I want to write more letters to those I love.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to live in the moment.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to slow down for a moment and maybe even stop.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to learn new technology.

Austin, Texas

Before I die I want to overcome depression.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to love my husband again.

Yeoju, South Korea

Before I die I want to understand my dad (and he me).

Richmond, Virginia

Before I die I want to take a commercial flight to the moon.

Washington, D.C.

Before I die I want to heal from my rape.

Los Angeles, California

Before I die I want to be someone's cavalry.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be the best man I can be.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to learn to forgive.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to quit smoking.

Nordhorn, Germany

Before I die I want to create something worth remembering.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to help others stay sober too.

London, England

Before I die I want to make history.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Before I die I want to learn as much as I can.

Asunción, Paraguay

Before I die I want to read all of the books I own.

Before I die I want to make sure he knows how much he means to me.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to see people less focused on appearance.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to remember my grandmother and her ideals.

Washington, D.C.

Before I die I want to be my own boss.

Södertälje, Sweden

Before I die I want to hear her voice one last time.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Before I die I want to get my daughter back.

Buffalo, New York

Before I die I want to have a student come back and tell me it mattered.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to learn more about God.

Columbus, Georgia

Before I die I want to live without fearing death.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to say I was a good son.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to be an Olympic champion.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to help educate girls.

Chennai, India

Before I die I want to find stillness.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to not live an average life.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to eat peanut butter again.

Richmond, Virginia

Before I die I want to see what I'm like as an old man.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to see my son overcome addiction.

Boston, Massachusetts

Before I die I want to be able to express myself with music.

Madrid, Spain

Before I die I want to read every book on my shelf.

Vancouver, Canada

Before I die I want to influence my company to be a force of love.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to listen more.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to love myself.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Before I die I want to right all my wrongs.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to register for organ donation.

Sabah, Malaysia

Before I die I want to be at peace with myself and the world.

Singapore

Before I die I want to be able to relax and enjoy my family.

London, England

Before I die I want to help my parents.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Before I die I want to make peace with the ones I love.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to start a farm.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to find God.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to see a woman become president.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to be completely self-sufficient.

Toyama, Japan

Before I die I want to apologize to you.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to know I make someone happy.

Nashville, Tennessee

Before I die I want to find peace with my family.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to give my kids everything I don't have.

Batesville, Arkansas

Before I die I want to see where my grandma grew up.

Townsville, Australia

Before I die I want to get over myself.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to learn to garden like Mom.

Phoenix, Arizona

Before I die I want to straddle the International Date Line.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to make a livable wage.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to put 100% of my ability into something.

Fresno, California

Before I die I want to know my family history.

Mount Vernon, Washington

Before I die I want to reunite with my family.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to make my mom proud.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to leave a legacy.

Melbourne, Australia

Before I die I want to create something worth fighting for.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Before I die I want to stop being afraid.

Jerusalem, Israel

Before I die I want to treat my husband the way he deserves.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Before I die I want to become uninhibited.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Before I die I want to be on time.

Washington, D.C.

Before I die I want to see proof that god exists.

Long Beach, California

Before I die I want to see my daughter graduate.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to swallow my pride.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to make peace with myself.

Barcelona, Spain

Before I die I want to get out of debt.

McCall, Idaho

Before I die I want to receive my citizenship.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to repair my relationship with my children.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to give away everything I own.

Montreal, Canada

Before I die I want to forgive and be forgiven.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to be free of my fears.

London, England

Before I die I want to read the full Constitution.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to make my parents proud.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to leave the army safely.

Pohang City, South Korea

Before I die I want to visit my birthplace.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to make my sons better people.

Rome, Italy

Before I die I want to see a year without war.

Chicago, Illinois

Before I die I want to live off the grid.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to write my will.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Before I die I want to end bullying.

Lexington, Massachusetts

Before I die I want to feel unity in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, Israel

Before I die I want to stay hungry.

Kézdivásárhely, Romania

Before I die I want to heal.

Montreal, Canada

Before I die I want to lose this damn weight.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to give up bad habits.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to hold a public office and be honest.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to evaporate into the light.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to express my gratitude to the people I love.

Yeoju, South Korea

Before I die I want to heighten my awareness.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Before I die I want to cure dementia.

Manchester, England

Before I die I want to help others help each other.

Waterbury, Connecticut

Before I die I want to reach my potential.

London, England

Before I die I want to see my parents again.

Erfurt, Germany

Before I die I want to be ready.

Auckland, New Zealand

Before I die I want to have the strength to forgive others, but mostly myself.

Lisbon, Portugal

Before I die I want to get an 'A' in math.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to go to the stars.

Townsville, Australia

Before I die I want to cure Alzheimer's.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Before I die I want to learn how to be brave.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to do something for animals.

Hyderabad, India

Before I die I want to understand the theory of relativity.

Yeoju, South Korea

Before I die I want to visit the birthplace of my father.

Austin, Texas

Before I die I want to conquer my fears.

Kerala, India

Before I die I want to come out of the closet safely.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Before I die I want to pay my student loans.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to feel comfortable in my skin.

Black Rock City, Nevada

Before I die I want to see what I'm like as an old man.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to abandon shame.

Budapest, Hungary.

Before I die I want to make more friends.

Dublin, Ireland

Before I die I want to be back in my kid's life.

Reno, Nevada

Before I die I want to live with my true love.

Toyama, Japan

Before I die I want to find inner peace.

Avignon, France

Before I die I want to save the wetlands.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to not fear death.

Nilai, Malaysia

Before I die I want to raise kids who care.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to find serenity.

Hefei, China

Before I die I want to know what it means to be at peace.

Newport News, Virginia

Before I die I want to reconnect with my father.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to organize my funeral party.

Sicily, Italy

Before I die I want to be in a healthy relationship for the sake of my daughter.

Savannah, Georgia

Before I die I want to go back to my hometown.

Shanghai, China

Before I die I want to do more things that scare me.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to master the trumpet.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Before I die I want to see the leaves change many times.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to fix everything for future generations.

Melbourne, Australia

Before I die I want to marry legally in North Carolina.

Asheville, North Carolina

Before I die I want to understand why we can't live forever.

Seoul, Korea

Before I die I want to spread kindness.

Chennai, India

Before I die I want to have a job that allows me to be myself.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Before I die I want to build a school.

Najaf, Iraq

Before I die I want to be a good muslim.

Carlow, Ireland

Before I die I want to find the unknown chromosome in the intestines.

Austin, Texas

Before I die I want to end racism.

Brooklyn, New York

Before I die I want to love again.

Nairobi, Kenya

Before I die I want to come to terms with who I am.

Washington, D.C.

Before I die I want to forget about myself.

Richmond, Virginia

Before I die I want to create a typeface of my own.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Before I die I want to help everyone get along.

Montreal, Canada

Before I die I want to forgive my parents for their shortcomings.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to find and understand God.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to take less and give more.

Auckland, New Zealand

Before I die I want to end racism.

Detroit, Michigan

Before I die I want to say sorry to you.

Chung-Li, Taiwan

Before I die I want to tell my parents I'm gay.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Before I die I want people to say I am a reliable man

Before I die I want to let go of regret.

Los Angeles, California

Before I die I want to be loved.

New York, New York

Before I die I want to ride a wave with my daughter.

San Francisco, California

Before I die I want to see my son's dreams come true.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Before I die I want to find my tribe.

Belfast, Northern Ireland
Featured Walls

Ribeira, Galicia

Savannah, Georgia

Renwick Gallery, Washington DC