Welcome to April‘s Quote and Trivia Gems.

Each month, I reach into my treasure trove of quotes and pull out my favourite gems.

I love quotes.

They make me laugh, they make me cry and most often, they make me think.

April is the birth month of William Shakespeare – the Bard of Avon.

Poet, playwright and actor, Shakespeare is often referred to as Britain’s national poet. Having written 39 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems, not only was he prolific but to this day, his plays are performed more often than any other playwright. His three most famous plays, although this may be debated, are Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare’s themes are universal. They deal with life, love, death, revenge, grief, jealousy, murder, magic and mystery. They are universal and timeless. We see them represented in every art form.

Because they are so ubiquitous, they inspire the classic librettos of grand operas and topical TV scripts of daytime soap operas. What’s the expression … imitation is the greatest form of flattery! Even Shakespeare borrowed plots from classical Greek and Roman writings.

Trivia alert!

Shakespeare was both born and died on April 23rd! (Not the same year of course)

How’s that for a dramatic entrance and exit? He seemingly died under mysterious circumstances on his 52nd birthday after enjoying an evening of intense partying.

A 2012 study in the journal Annals of Epidemiology found that a much higher probability (about 14 per cent) of people over 60 will die on their birthdays. That study, which analyzed more than 2 million deaths, found that strokes and heart attacks rose 18.6 per cent and 21.5 per cent respectively, on birthdays.

Hmmm, to party or not to party … that is the question!

I hope you enjoy my pick of ‘gems” for April.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow.” – Author Unknown” quote=”“If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow.” – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“There is more wisdom in your body than in your philosophy.” – Nietzsche ” quote=”“There is more wisdom in your body than in your philosophy.” – Nietzsche ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw ” quote=”“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“The fears we don’t face become our limits.” – Author Unknown” quote=”“The fears we don’t face become our limits.” – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Biology gives you a Brain. Life turns it into a Mind.” – Jeffrey Eugenides” quote=”“Biology gives you a Brain. Life turns it into a Mind.” – Jeffrey Eugenides” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.” – Walter Lippman ” quote=”“Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.” – Walter Lippman ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“There are some people you’ll never see again. At least, not in the same way.” – Iain Thomas ” quote=”“There are some people you’ll never see again. At least, not in the same way.” – Iain Thomas ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Listen and Silent are spelled with the same letters.” – Think about it.” quote=”“Listen and Silent are spelled with the same letters.” – Think about it.” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“To live in the world without trying to become aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” – Dan Brown ” quote=”“To live in the world without trying to become aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” – Dan Brown ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“I’ve found luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.”- Brian Tracy” quote=”“I’ve found luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.”- Brian Tracy” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Every successful person has a painful story. Every painful story has a successful ending. Accept the pain and get ready for success.” – Author Unknown” quote=”“Every successful person has a painful story. Every painful story has a successful ending. Accept the pain and get ready for success.” – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.” – Albert J. Devlin” quote=”“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.” – Albert J. Devlin” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Without geography, you’re nowhere.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘Without geography, you’re nowhere.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘If you need something from somebody, always give that person a way to hand it to you.’ – Sue Monk Kidd” quote=”‘If you need something from somebody, always give that person a way to hand it to you.’ – Sue Monk Kidd” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“We all have our limitations, but when we listen to our critics, we also have theirs.” – Robert Brault ” quote=”“We all have our limitations, but when we listen to our critics, we also have theirs.” – Robert Brault ” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” – Omar Khayyam ” quote=”“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” – Omar Khayyam ” theme=”style2″]

I’m a great fan of the theatre and have always found the plays of the Bard to be some of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading or seeing performed. Indeed, I’ve stood in the pit at the Globe Theatre in London on several occasions and lost myself in the myriad human emotions painted by his words. The plot’s twists and turns reflect the beauty, the irony and the drama of both every day and regal lives.

Shakespeare has so many wonderful quotes that have worked their way into our modern lexicon but the one that has always spoken to me is from Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene V .. and so this is the quote I leave you with this month.