In the eye of the hurricane

I don’t know for certain, but I suspect Alexander Hamilton would understand.

I write today in my blog, Rounding up the Gremlins, on The Heart of the Matter about how I fall back on writing when I’m faced with troubling times. Outside of my wife and family, my writing is my constant companion.

Yes, I suspect Hamilton — a founding father of the United States, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, helped draft the Constitution, and served as the first secretary of the treasury, where he served as the founder and chief architect of the American financial system — would most certainly understand.

At least the version of the man that author Ron Chernow chronicled in his book Alexander Hamilton and songwriter and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda created in his blockbuster musical Hamilton.

Through all of his exploits and endeavors, Hamilton was prolific in putting his thoughts down on paper. Miranda comes right out and says it:

“I wrote my way out of hell
I wrote my way to revolution
I was louder than the crack in the bell
I wrote Eliza love letters until she fell
I wrote about The Constitution and defended it well
And in the face of ignorance and resistance
I wrote financial systems into existence
And when my prayers to God were met with indifference
I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance.”

Now, I’m no Hamilton, but I can relate to writing when I’m both happy and sad. When things aren’t going my way and I’m struggling, I turn first to my writing. I start out first by venting my frustrations and challenges. I’ll dive deep into where I feel that I’ve been slighted and hurt by others.

Oh, in the early going, there’s lots of whining and complaining. I can be a big baby when I want to be, but once I get past the superficial feelings, I’ll start to focus on the real emotions that matter. I start to cut through the BS to the authentic feelings that all of us feel at one point or another.

In time, what started out as woe is me, becomes something that’s productive, that others can relate, and actually becomes positive. I’m no Hamilton, but I can definitely relate to writing myself out of my own little hurricanes!

“I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance.”

Images by Unsplash.