“I didn’t want that”: Making your dying wishes known

For most people, talking about death can be a morbid topic.  Let alone, talking about a person’s end of life wishes.  Nobody wants to be reminded of their or their loved ones mortality.

But here’s the thing:  While it is never easy to talk about dying, or at the very least, entertaining the possibility that we will all die eventually, doing so will eliminate the risk of not getting what we would have wanted when leave this world behind.

For instance, let’s say you prefer to have cremation services and that your ashes be turned into cremation jewelry your spouse can bring anywhere with him or her.  What if you never got the message across before it’s too late?  Or what if you’ve never made preparations for your children or pets if you ever leave this earth in an untimely fashion?

The poignant short film “I didn’t want that” delivers a strong message about the importance of preparing for the inevitable by making your end of life wishes known.  The short film, which was produced by Flix Films, was commissioned by Dying Matters, as part of the Dying Matters Awareness Week year 2012.

Widely praised, the movie garnered attention and was chosen to be screened in the Cannes Film Festival in the same year.

“I didn’t want that” presents five different scenarios which examine the possible effects of not letting your loved ones know what your end of life wishes are.  The results range from not getting the funeral one of the characters wished they had, to a pet that was neglected.

And the short film couldn’t be farther from the truth.  According to the research commissioned by the Dying Matters coalition, about less than a third of people have ever talked about their end of life wishes.  Sadly enough, about just over a quarter of people have asked their loved ones about their own end of life wishes.

So consider this bittersweet and beautifully crafted short film a call to action to, first and foremost, change your mind set about death, and second, that it is never too early to make the necessary preparations.  This is not only for your own peace of mind but also for those you will soon leave behind.