America, You Great Unfinished Symphony
The title for this column is a lyric from the blockbuster musical Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and based on biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. The musical won eleven Tony Awards in 2016, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama that same year. And just in time for the Fourth of July this year, Hamilton is being released on Disney Plus. I am a fan in awe of this musical, and I could not be more excited.
The story of Alexander Hamilton mirrors the story of the founding of our country, a mixture of founding ideals, genius, infighting, and imperfection, all of which are on full display. This same mixture continues today, as America is still an unfinished symphony.
Hamilton reminds us of the power of ideals, as well as the power of a guiding vision. It is these ideals that we remember every year as a nation on the Fourth of July, and that serve as our compass in the midst of whatever challenges we are currently facing as a country.
Whenever I have the privilege of consulting with a family or organization in conflict, I often ask them to go back to the ideals and vision they held in common when they first started. I ask them to remember and hold on to those as they seek to resolve their current conflict. I remind them that it is easy for any of us to lose sight of our founding spirit and vision when we are in the midst of challenging times. We, our families and our county, are all unfinished symphonies, a mixture of beautiful harmonies and, at times, glaring imperfections and inconsistencies. And still, we continue to evolve, learning new harmonies to sing and new ways to more fully embody our founding ideals of life, liberty, and happiness for all.
Happy Fourth of July everyone, and if you get a chance, I highly recommend watching Lin-Manuel Miranda’s magnum opus.
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