I enjoy Twitter.
There, I’ve admitted it.
I don’t read it for celebrity gossip or political conspiracies. I mostly follow a combination of political leaders whom I respect, academics, and humorists. I follow a few sources of reliable news and I’m not afraid to unfollow someone who I deem unkind or stupid. I don’t have a lot of expectations about Twitter but over the last few years I have discovered this: some tweets have the power to make me think, to make my daily life nicer; to make me nicer. Foremost among the sources of the sorts of gems which make life better is Lin-Manuel Miranda.
His tweets are invariably kind. I like them and I especially like the world view they demonstrate. He often frames his gems as morning greetings or a close to the evening. They are sweet and thoughtful poetry that read as genuine and real. When I need a pep talk, they are just a few clicks away on Twitter and that makes my world brighter. A sampling from Miranda’s tweets in the past few weeks is as reflective as any other.
“Be a little nicer than maybe you feel like being.”
“Be who you are.
Do what you can.
Know you are beloved.”
“Take what you need.
Give what you can.
Know you are loved beyond measure.”
“Gmorning to your dreams, joyous and modest and terrifying and guilt-inducing and liberating and maybe as simple as “easier than yesterday” which is plenty for a dream, absorb what you can use and let’s go.”
“Loving you today.
Believing in the possibility of a more peaceful, just and humane world.
Each of us has a part.
Let’s get to it!”
“Gnight.
If you love ‘em, tell ‘em you love ‘em.
Love you.
Rest up.”
“Gnight.
That imaginary fight you keep having in your head…call if off.
You’ve gone so many rounds.
You need your head and your heart for bigger things.
WE need your head and your heart for bigger things.
Rest up champ.”
“Gnight.
Sing out in the key that feels right for you.”
Some messages are a refrain he repeats because they are worth repeating. On the morning of the horrible shooting in New Zealand, he tweeted:
“Gmorning. If you love ‘em, tell ‘em you love ‘em. As the world keep making heartbreakingly clear, tomorrow’s schedule is always in pencil. Tell ‘em you love ‘em while they’re here. Tell ‘em you love ‘em while you’re here. Love you. Let’s go.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda surely doesn’t need me to boost his already enormous signal. He gets this. His words are modest and heartfelt and they should be echoed. They are invariably kind; they are often funny; they cheer us on as they lean toward hope. They are a reminder of our common humanity; of how much comfort, happiness, and progress can multiply when they are shared. Through his words, it feels like I know the man. I cheer him on because I feel like he cheers us on. In a world that can sometimes disappoint, his words lift us up.
That’s happy; really happy.
