Shakespeare Said it Best- As Always by Alexi

Shakespeare Said it Best- As Always by Alexi - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

There are many cliche and inspirational quotes that we hear consistently all around us, such as “when life you gives you lemons, you make lemonade,” “it's five o’clock somewhere,” “what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,” and “everything happens for a reason.” Most quotes seem to have the purpose of telling you everything is going to be alright. However, when you are in that moment of pain or frustration and it feels like the end of the world, the last thing you want is for someone to say, “don’t sweat the small stuff, just smile.” I would like to hear a quote that tells the truth. A quote that gives not only advice, but admits that not everything is perfect, and it’s important not go falling in love with anything that moves. That is why, like so many other things in life, William Shakespeare put key guidelines for living life into three flawlessly written lines, “love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”

Putting aside the fact that I am somewhat of a Shakespearean geek, I take so much direction and inspiration away from this quote. When I first heard it, I was about 16, and going through some extremely difficult situations. Heartbreak, losing friends, gossip and the struggle to figure out your place in the world are all dominating issues that most 16 year olds go through. But when I discovered this saying, it was as if someone had given me motivation and advice for all future situations. Because of Shakespeare’s brilliance in words, I will do my best to love all, even though I may feel a slight sensation of annoyance when I see them, I am not about to argue with the greatest playwright of all time. I will also from now on only trust a few, to protect myself from future heartache and to have a sense of discernment when jumping in to any sort of friendship/relationship. And lastly, I will strive with authenticity and care to do wrong to none. There is enough suffering and grief in our world that the last thing I want to do is to contribute to that. I have no reason, no ambition or justification to afflict any sort of pain on anyone. Therefore I am going to try my hardest to grace a smile or at least give off a positive vibe to hopefully everyone I come in contact with.

I have this quote written all over my house and surrounding my life. It is written on sticky notes in my room, on my desk, on the bathroom mirror, it is the wallpaper on my phone and I even have a t-shirt with the quote printed on it. This quote has helped me avoid some trying times and I’m thankful I discovered it when I did. What I admire most about this quote is its sense of practicality and the fact that it has yet to be overused, although I am doing my best to spread it around. I intend to keep on living by this, and doing my best to inspire others with the advice, and hopefully they see the affect it has had on me. So remember, “love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”