If you had to sum up your life philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?

…she is fierce! – William Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 3, Scene 2.

That pretty much sums it up. I’ve just researched the original context because to be honest, I despise William Shakespeare. I know the quote is from the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I’m sure it’s an unpopular take to dislike William Shakespeare, but I will not budge. He did add some fabulous words and insults to the lexicon and some people think he’s a genius. So there’s that. I didn’t like Shakespeare well before I had a personal reason to dislike the man, and I know that doesn’t make any sense, because he’s long dead, but it makes sense to me. Fun fact: I also despise William Faulkner, so it’s not only Shakespeare feeling the wrath, although my issue with Faulkner is more about his run-on sentence problem and his tedious writing. I also don’t like his themes. Now I’m pissed off because I’m thinking about Faulkner and Absalom, Absalom! and the paper I had to write on it in college. Ugh! I won’t be elaborating here, because this prompt isn’t about Shakespeare nor Faulkner – although discussing Faulkner raises my blood pressure, and it is better suited to another post where I can fling some Shakespeare insults to offset the side effects.

Anyway, the point is – and this is taken out of the original context in the play, which was meant as an insult – it doesn’t matter what people think I can do, I will always try. If one never tries, one never knows what is possible. I have achieved many things in my life simply by opening my mouth, picking up the phone, typing an email, or physically ambulating to a place. Even if you’re small in stature/vertically challenged, or young and therefore “little,” you’ve got a voice and you’ve got willpower. Whatever your differences are, they are strengths. Use them.