These days, no one can hear the name Hamilton without getting excited. And it's all due to the beyond brilliant mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose musical, Hamilton struck the world in early 2015. Over the past year, it has grown massively, and having listened to it so many times that I've truly lost count, I've had the opportunity to learn a few special things from it. As a lover of musicals, as well as words of wisdom, I am here to provide both. The following are ten influential things that Hamilton has taught me.
1. I should not throw away my shot.
Even though sometimes I am certain it would be better to give up or stop trying, I learned that it is much more beneficial to keep working, keep changing, until I reach my desired destination. It is and always will be a better idea to make an effort than do nothing at all, as I'll atleast know that I tried, even if I didn't fully succeed. But on the other hand, by trying, I have the potential to succeed rather than ensuring failure. I will not give up, I will not throw away my shot.
2. Cheating is never, ever something to do.
There are so many stories that I've heard and witnessed surrounding the subject of cheating. I must say, though, that the situation between Eliza Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton is the most heartbreaking one that I've ever heard. With that being said, I would like to make it clear that that has shown me what exactly can happen when you cheat on someone, and that even if Eliza and Alexander's relationship was hesitantly mended, that is usually not the case and it can end in really bad ways. You don't hurt someone you love, and it wasn't an accident. I'm tired of seeing people hurt the people they claim to love by being with another, that's wrong. Love someone and treat them right, because not only is that what they deserve, but if you don't, someone else might.
3. Having a legacy isn't always all that it's cracked up to be.
I have always thought about my future, and where my actions and words could take me. Admittedly, I have had large dreams, ones that are made out of materialistic goals and wishes rather than what's right in front of me. In some ways, I have wanted to be known for something, remembered for something that I have done, and as Alexander Hamilton found out, it isn't always what people think it is. Sometimes, your legacy could end up not being what you want it to be, and often times it isn't. So, make something of yourself, yes, but don't spend every single moment on that one thing. Expand your horizons.
4. The world is wide enough for everyone.
The world is always wide enough for everyone. I have heard several times that some people think that there isn't enough room for the both of them or that one of them is better than the other. In truth, though, there will always be room for anyone in this world, for all kinds of people, despite gender, sexuality, religion, etc. The world is full of more than 8 billion people and that is absolutely insane to think about, and it's even more crazy to think that some of them are excluded, that we forget about some of the most important ones. The world is a large place, and I have slowly begun to learn it is vast, that every single inhabitant deserves to reside within it.
5. It's foolish to harm someone over something that could be easily resolved.
It is not a good idea, nor is it a very clever one to hurt someone over a situation that has a simple solution, if only someone looked for it. I know, as I have had many dilemmas similar before, that it is easily to allow impulse to control our decisions, but honestly, all it does is make things worse, especially in the case of Hamilton and Burr, whom had a relationship that unfortunately, did not end very well. So, think before you act, that's what I learned. No matter what the other person said or did, don't make your final move result in shed blood.
6. Your body is yours, and yours only, unless otherwise decided.
Maria Reynolds was forced into prostitution by her husband, John, resulting in a chain of events that could have been prevented if Maria had been able to realize that her body is hers only. Your body is no one's property, it is simply yours, unless you give consent to give it up to others. However, even then, underneath all of it, it is still your body. It will always be your body, and you have full control over it. So, don't let anyone else dictate what you do with it, and never, ever let anyone use or abuse it.
7. Your past shouldn't stop you from achieving your goals.
We all know that Alexander Hamilton had a bit of a rocky start, and even though he did, he didn't let that stop him, he used it to his advantage and eventually, he made something of himself, he succeeded in what he wanted to do even when others didn't believe that he could, and that is something that was one of the most important things that I learned from this musical. I shouldn't allow past events to drag me down, I need to rise up anyways, despite it.
8. Blood is always thicker than water.
The Schuyler sisters were incredibly close, they defended eachother and showed true and complete love. I am close with my own sister, but I learned that even if it isn't beneficial to me, I should do everything in my power to make her happy, because that's what she deserves, and if that means sacrificing certain things or getting in trouble, so be it. She means the world to me, just like Angelica, Peggy and Eliza meant to eachother and that is something that is really special to me, because the bond that I have with my family is, too. It's rare sometimes that family is close, but because mine is, I should cherish it.
9. It's important to pace yourself.
When given the opportunity to take a break and get some fresh air, Alexander Hamilton refused and it ended up biting back at him in the long run. I know many people that have done that before and in all honesty, it's incredibly common, which is not a good thing. It's important to take breaks and take time out for ourselves, because if we don't, things could end up getting messed up or they could result in something not so good occurring. So, I know now to take that extra moment, and utilize it to the best of my ability.
10. It is essential to live in the moment.
I learned that it is so incredibly important to live in the moment, to take every second into account, because there is the potential that something unexpected could happen, that we could miss an important moment in our lives because we spent time doing things that weren't as important, even if they seemed like it at the moment. We could be spending time doing and seeing better, much more enriching things, but we don't because we are always moving too fast, and not stopping to take time to actually look around us and live. It's important to look around and take those little moments to just breathe and think and observe. In addition, we don't realize how great it is to live in the generation that we do, because are too busy focusing on the negative points, but I think people would be surprised if they actually saw the full picture.
In closing, I would like to say that Hamilton is most certainly a musical that is educational, and in many ways, it changed my perspective, which is rare, but genuinely appreciated. I think that we can all learn something from it, and in turn, gain a few new favorite songs, too.
