Good Nightmares

A college student I know told me he’s planning to take a friend to see an exhibition in Berlin: Yadegar Asisi’s panoramic “The Wall”. He saw it before, as a middle schooler. 

But then he told me the first time gave him nightmares. 

Huh? Why go back?

“They were good nightmares,” he said. “It’s important history.”

An exhibition can change you only two times:

1. When you are in one
2. When one is in you — as a memory

Because we only have two chances, we need to get good at making memories.

Repetition helps.

Emotions help even more — the more powerful the emotion, the more likely the memory. Negative emotions are especially good at memory-making. 

Get attacked once by a saber-toothed tiger, and you’ll be mindful of every rustling bush after that.

See a gripping panoramic light show of Berlin’s Cold War “Death Strip” and you’ll have “good nightmares” you think friends should have too.

Here’s the thing:
Exhibitions do nothing if they are not remembered. Memories are made through emotion; positive ones are not the only option. 

Sometimes the memory we’re creating is negative for good reason. 

Sometimes there are good nightmares.

Warmly,
Jonathan