On the Thanksgiving Weekend of this past year, my good friend Conor put on the "Hamilton" soundtrack in the car, telling me to simply listen to it. As listened, he recited every single word to almost every song (shoutout to Conor for being awesome). I was blown away by the way every word fit perfectly in each song. Having listened to the soundtrack more and hopping on the "#Ham4Ham" bandwagon, I have discovered that even without having seen the show, the soundtrack itself holds a lot of meaning.
1. When you have an opportunity, go for it.
Alexander Hamilton leaves his homeland and moves to the United States to start a new life for himself. Seeing that he can make a difference, he takes advantage of the new resources in front of him and takes a chance on himself, joining up in the rebellion against the British. He ends up becoming a leader and one of America's founding fathers, simply because he chose to take that chance and move to the United States. "I am not throwing away my shot," he sings. When you have a shot, take it. Don't let it pass by you because you might not get that shot again. It may be scary but if you trust yourself it will take you a long way.
2. It is okay if you are not sure who you are.
Aaron Burr, Hamilton's friend, counterpart, and eventually enemy, lost his family as well. He sings that he is "willing to wait for it" to figure out his purpose in life, and even though there are many things that have happened unexpectedly, he is determined to keep going. Times of struggle and hardship reveal more about oneself than simply living your life. Do not be discouraged if things do not seem to go as planned, because they will work out in the end--but you might just have to wait for it.
3. Be thankful for your loved ones.
Eliza Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton's wife, anxiously awaits her husband's return from the war and all his political business. She knows how hard he is working to build the nation up from nothing, but she does not want him to lose sight of what really matters. "We don't need a legacy; we don't need money," she sings to him. Their love and their life together, according to her, "would be enough." While we all desire becoming famous and recognized for our good deeds (myself included), be grateful for the family and friends around you who have supported you. If it were not for them, you probably would not have gotten as far as you did.
4. Stand up for what you believe in.
Alexander Hamilton not only introduces a new form of government, but helps amend the Constitution and develops America's financial system. To stand up for his plans and prove that they make sense, he writes the Federalist Papers (with the help of John Jay and James Madison). Everyone doubted him, but Hamilton's plans ended up working, all because he never gave up pushing for them. Even when people doubted him, he never let them change his mind. There will always be people who do not agree with you or your beliefs, but you cannot let them push you around. You have to stand up for those beliefs because no one else is going to do it for you, and no one has ever gotten anywhere in life by letting people walk all over them.
5. Consider the legacy you will leave.
Alexander Hamilton, although not given enough credit for everything he did for our budding nation, was remembered by those who knew him as a smart, passionate, and strong-willed individual who helped shape the country. He never would have thought that people would have hailed him as a founding father or a financial genius; he was just doing his job. If you really want to make a lasting difference in the world, think about the actions you are taking right now. Do you want those to be remembered? You do not know how you will make your mark in history, but just live a good and wholesome life, and take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Who knows? Someone might even write a hit musical about you one day.
