Lucky Us

Hamilton, you guys. Hamilton. If you like music, or musicals, or American history, or enthralling story-telling, go listen. Lin-Manuel Miranda is, I’m pretty sure, a genius. There are rhymes that I love and lines that are beautiful. There are touching and tender moments, as well as “Oh, what did you just do?!” moments. And there are spots that make me weep. It’s just – good. But this post isn’t about Hamilton. Not really. It’s about one line from the soundtrack:

Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now!

Every time I hear that line, I’m moved. Something deep in my being echoes it, believes it, feels it. Every time. It’s an undeniable feeling that somewhere in my soul I absolutely do believe I’m lucky to be alive right now.

The line gets repeated throughout the show, in very different circumstances, none of them perfect. In fact, it first shows up toward the beginning, when young men and women are gathered and talking about (among other things) the revolution. The American Revolution. About bloodshed and death and war, in their home and on their shores. It's not a pleasant prospect, and yet they repeat it: Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now! 

I honestly haven’t been able to figure out why that line has resonated with me so deeply. I’m not one to get super passionate about current events or politics, at least not in the most traditional ways. I don’t relish living through history – in fact, I’ve often said I really, really want a history textbook from 50 years in the future so I can know how it all turns out, know what matters and what’s not worth getting riled up about. History is messy. Living it is messier.

I don't really like messy. And yet, there’s this line echoing in my soul.  Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now!

And so, in the last little while, at times when the world seems to be at odds with itself, when chaos threatens and violence looms and politicians… do whatever it is politicians do (politate? Yeah. I like that. When politicians politate), I’m holding on to the moments when my heart and my mind and my being (via Lin-Manuel Miranda’s words) have reminded me that yes, right now is indeed a good time to be around. Lucky us!

*Above is the whole song the Look around line comes from, but if I've created this link correctly, it should start on the line in question. Listen through the end. Then listen to the whole thing. Then buy the soundtrack. #HamiltonPlug