charming things: we always knew new orleans was cool

Life is brief and tender, and there is a lot we can learn from the people around us to help us lead better lives.

Here's a cool project from New Orleans. Inspired by losing someone she loved, artist Candy Chang created a giant chalkboard on the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood. Stenciling "Before I die I want to________________" on the blackboard she invited residents to fill in the blanks with their dreams. And what they did was remarkable. 

The world was soon inspired and requests from around the world poured in with similar chalkboards now in South Africa, Mexico and Kazakhstan.   Hope it seems, knows no boundaries, no prejudice.

What do you want to do before you die? Swim with dolphins in Fiji? Buy bright new books for the kindergarten class you attended?

Why if you did it?

What would this look like in your neighborhood?  The "Before I die__________" toolkit is now available. Visit http://beforeidie.cc/ for more inspiration.

Kudos to Candy Chang and to every person who shared their dream on the wall.