“...it’s not how long you’re here, but what you do while you’re here.” Most people think of Jonathan Larson as a creative genius whose rock opera Rent has touched the hearts of many. Others may think of him as a poor East Village artist trying to make a few dollars. Jonathan Larson told that phrase to New York Times journalist, Anthony Tommasina, saying that Rent was inspired by his friends who have died of AIDS. The message of the show is to live life to its fullest and not hold anything back. The key phrase of the show is “No day but today.”
As I was reading the Rent book while searching for a quote, the one phrase that stood out was “it’s not how long you’re here, but what you do while you’re here.” It is a quote about life and how just living and striving to stay alive is not enough. Life is made up of actions, memories, emotions, friend and family relationships, experiences and love. Life is not meant to be a jacket you throw over your shoulder and forget about. It is about your hopes and dreams and making all your wishes come true. Life is everything you want it to be, not what others tell you it should be.
One example of not being afraid to reach your goals is something that happened when I saw Rent last Thursday night (April 8, 1999). A young man by the name of Chad Richardson was scheduled to play Roger that night. In the cast he used to perform with he was always the character Mark, so tonight was his very first time as Roger. The characters of Mark and Roger are very different and I knew that Chad probably did not have a whole lot of rehearsal time as Roger. When he first walked on stage I noticed he was shaking and he looked very nervous, but he held his head up high the whole show and played one of the best Rogers’ I have ever seen. He made a few mistakes, but everyone makes mistakes, and he did not turn away from his fears. After the show Chad told me that he was very nervous and scared, but that was just one reason why he knew he had to perform at his best.
After I saw the show and spoke with Chad, I began thinking about the challenges life holds. Even if you cross that first difficult river another one will be right after it and another and so on. Every challenge brings you closer to achieving your goals. Do not dwell on how long you will live, but concentrate on what you will do while living. If someone pulls you down, get right back up.
Living a long time and doing things in a lifetime are two very different things. I have learned a lot from the quote I chose and I feel I have become more informed on how Jonathan Larson and fellow cast members felt about Rent. Jonathan Larson died at age 35, the day his dream was about to become a reality...Rent’s Broadway debut. The cast members aptly named Rent Jonathan’s “baby” and they wanted his “baby” to grow into something more than it started out with. Little did Larson know what an event Rent had become and how popular it is. Even though he died at such a young age he accomplished so much in his life. He wrote three hit plays, one outstanding musical, several other screen writes and much more to be proud of.
I feel as though I have not fulfilled this philosophy of living life to its fullest. Perhaps it is because of my upbringing and my peers, how I was taught “this is good” or “this is bad.” I have become too dependent on my family when I should instead start to break free and find my own identity. I want to do “my own thing” and be what I want to be, but I fear mistakes, humiliation, and embarrassment. Yet those are things is life everyone must learn to live with, including myself.
Life is full of decisions, challenges and turn of events. If all someone cared about was how long they will be alive than that person must be very lonely. Life is a beautiful thing which should not be abused in any way. It is true that we take life for granted and we do not give whenever we receive. In a way this helps us learn from out mistakes and allows us to move one step closer to becoming a better person and achieving a personally hope or dream we want.
Life is to precious to just sit there and waste it. It must be cultivated and grow, with each memory put into a persons thought. Whether it is good or bad, it is always unforgettable. Life is never easy, even if people claim they have found a way to make in simpler, there is always another winding road everyone will eventually have to walk down. If there were no challenges in life, we would live in a very dull world.
“No day but today” means achieving you hopes and dreams without procrastinating and being told “no.” Every compliment, every complaint, and every ounce of criticism you will receive in the future accounts for the many reasons you must do what you love to fulfill your dreams. Live life how you want to live it, but keep in mind the responsibilities and behaviors you must uphold. Do not change for others, change for yourself and for the right reasons. “It is not how long you’re here, but what you do while you’re here.” How do you want to be remembered?
