Definition: a pleasing attraction; interesting; charming

Derivation: Latin, “to address” based on ‘to drive.’

Quotes:
• Beauty must appeal to the senses, must provide us with immediate enjoyment, must impress us or insinuate itself into us without any effort on our part. — Achille Claude Debussy (1862-1918) French composer
• We have eyes, and we’re looking at stuff all the time, all day long. I just think that whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful, tasteful, appealing, and important. — Eric Carle (1929–2021) American children’s books author

Definitions: (1) imperturbable self-possession; poise; (2) complete and certain composure; self-confidence; (3) grace under pressure; (4) upright

Quote:
• Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people. — The Bible; Amos 7:8
     >Note: This symbolic plumb line is the standard of justice and righteousness with which God will judge people.
• When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. — Ralph Pierre LaCock (1926-) [aka: Peter Marshall] American game show host & actor

Definitions: (1) endowed with the qualities of life; alive; (2) full of movement and activity; lively; (3) full of spirit; vigorous; ; (4) A sparkplug <a person who leas, inspires or initiates something or others>; (5) con anima <musical instruction: play in a spirited manner>

Quotes:
• True friendship gives new life and animation to the object it supports. — Richard Burton [born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.] (1925–1984) Welsh actor
• How great is the mystery of the first cells which were one day animated by the breath of our souls! How impossible to decipher the welding of successive influences in which we are forever incorporated! In each one of us, through matter, the whole history of the world is in part reflected. — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) French Jesuit priest

Definitions: (1) pleasantly entertaining or diverting; (2) arousing laughter or mirth; (3) a person with the natural or acquired ability to entertain; (4) hilarious <extremely amusing>

Quote:
• At first, I only laughed at myself. Then I noticed that life itself is amusing. I’ve been in a generally good mood ever since. Marilyn vos Savant [born Marilyn Mach] (1946-) American “Ask Marilyn” columnist
• Be simple in words, manners, and gestures. Amuse as well as instruct. If you can make a man laugh, you can make him think and make him like and believe you. — Alfred “Al” Emanuel Smith (1873–1944) American politician 42^nd governor of New York

Definitions: (1) inclined to be loving; fond; (2) enamored with <of a person or thing>; (3) pertaining to, produced by, or indicating love <amorous delight>; (4) sexual love or lovemaking

Synonym: affectionate

Quotes:
• Love is better than chocolate, but sometimes chocolate is easier to find. — Judith Mary Kain (1948-) American empath
• I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things—then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love from henceforth! — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) German philosopher
      Note: Amor fati: “love of one’s fate” describes an attitude in which one sees everything that happens in one’s life, including suffering and loss, as good or, at the very least, necessary.

Definition: mutual friendship; social or communal peacefulness; characterized by shared good will; harmonious

Derivation: Old Latin, “to love;” Latin, “a friend”

Synonyms:
     Amicable always supposes two or more peaceful parties with a desire not to resort to quarreling; a single individual would not be described as amicable, though he or she may be called friendly which stresses warmth, personal cordiality, and possibly intimacy; neighborly implies a disposition to be on good terms with others even to the point of helpfulness.

Quote: All politeness is owing to liberty. We polish one another, and rub off our corners and rough sides by a sort of amicable collision. To restrain this, is inevitably to bring a rust upon men’s understandings. — Anthony Nils Christian Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury (1938–2004) British conservationist

Definitions: (1) possessing sweetness of temper; kindly; (2) having a pleasant disposition; friendly

Synonyms: charming, complaisant, congenial, good-natured, lovable, sociable

Quotes:
• For certainly there cannot be a higher pleasure than to think that we love and are beloved by the most amiable and best Being. — Mary Astell (1666–1731) English philosopher
• The sweet quality is set opposite to the bitter, and is a gracious, amiable, blessed, and pleasant quality, a refreshing of life, an allaying of the fierceness. — Jakob Bohme (1575–1624) German philosopher, theologian, & mystic

Color: red

Definitions: (1) willing to follow advice; open to suggestion; (2) responsible or answerable; accountable

Derivations: Latin, “to drive (animals).” By late 16^th century morphed into “liable to answer truthfully.”

Synonyms: obedient, responsive, submissive, subservient, tractable

Quote: It’s worth noting that invoking God as the entity who set our universe in motion isn’t contradicted by the data. Of course, scientists would say the Supreme Being hypothesis is faith, and outside the realm of science – that it’s not amenable to experiment. But we currently have the same problem with the notion of parallel universes. — Seth Shostak (1943-) American astronomer

Comment: When you ask a question, you learn very early that you may not like the answer. Later in life you may not want to ask the question if you are not amenable to the answer. But if you are genuinely honest and curious you just may ask another question.

Definitions: (1) to make better, to make progress; (2) to bring nearer to an ideal; (3) to improve, or make more tolerable a difficult situation <Providing food and water to the refugees ameliorated their suffering a bit.>; (4) able to soften sorrow with kindness; (5) able to staunch pain

Quotes:
• Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best. — St. Jerome (c. 342-420) Christian priest and historian
• Any fool can see the planets and stars are circling around the earth; therefore we must admit the earth is the center of the universe. (paraphrase of the geocentric model) Eudoxus of Cnidus (c. 390–340 BC)
     Note: Progress is made with more information.

Comment: My mother said, “I had to make myself do it,” when she was talking about writing an article or speaking in public. We literally make our better self. The basics are all there: body, mind, options, personality, spirit, physical environment, revelation, identity, challenge, and – most of all – freewill. We actually fashion our soul with our decisions, actions, and experiences. We have the power to become better than we are.

Definitions: (1) an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, <as wealth, fame, or spiritual enlightenment> and the willingness to strive for it; aspiring; (2) requiring exceptional effort or ability; challenging; difficult <an ambitious project>; (3) strong yearning; eager <ambitious love>

Derivation: Latin, “to go about” from the practice of Roman candidates for political office going around the city soliciting votes

Quotes:
• To be ambitious of true honor, of the true glory and perfection of our natures, is the very principle and incentive of virtue. — Sir Walter Scott (1771– 1832) Scottish historian, poet, & playwright
• We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. — Cesario Estrada “Cesar” Chavez (1927–1993) American labor & civil right leader

Color: orange