Complexity

My daughter had the opportunity to experience the Broadway musical "Hamilton" this past weekend because of one of her aunts' generous invitation. For two months, our family has been listening to the CDs.  She can sing most of the songs and I've learned more about Hamilton than I ever thought I would want to. This musical has become a touchstone for my teenager and I can see why.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator, is a 21st c genius. The hip-hop and rap music score tells the extraordinary story of Alexander Hamilton, one of our founding fathers, and it tells it well. The connection of his story of loss, alienation, and fighting to make a difference to our 21st c America is remarkable.

I listen to my daughter talk about her high school world--her sadness while watching friends who are not striving toward any goal, her rage about society's lack of acceptance of and violence toward minorities, her ability to have fun and be outrageously dramatic while she struggles to be authentic--and this musical speaks to her. She wants to make a difference in a country that is killing the planet, randomly executing mostly black felons, and tightly enforcing a deep divide among political leaders and citizens.

I find myself thinking again about evolution eternally moving toward more diversity and more complexity. "Hamilton" is a complex creation about diversity and making a difference. My daughter belongs to a diverse world and holds in her body the complexity of today. I am in awe.