Definitions: (1) confounded with great surprise; astounding; (2) full of <often sudden> wonder; mystifying
Synonyms: awesome, incredible, marvelous
Quotes:
• God sure thunk up some stuff! — John Preston Downs (1913-2004) American father and businessman
• Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image, and yet there is so much diversity among his people? — Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) South African Anglican bishop and theologian
Definition: selfless regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
Compatible Qualities: empathy, sympathy
People Who Exemplify This Quality: In the spring of 1991 a six-year-old girl found a bottle on a New Jersey beach. It contained two dollars. It also held a note: “Do something good with this.” She decided to give it to the homeless by giving somebody a meal. With the community’s help and her altruistic attitude, she was able to provide sixty homeless people lunch for one day.
Quote: The individual can take initiatives without anyone’s permission. … You do not belong to you. You belong to the universe. The significance of you will forever remain obscure to you, but you may assume that you are fulfilling your significance if you apply yourself to converting all your experience to the highest advantage of others. — Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) American futurist
Comment: In order to acquire altruism, and to experience altruistic behavior, submit yourself to the difficulty of recognizing the needs of other people. You may have to expose yourself to injustice or prejudice. There is opportunity to turn any “unfortunate” situation into a fortunate one. Each struggle blesses you with good qualities.
Color: red
Definition: selfless regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
Compatible Qualities: empathy, sympathy
People Who Exemplify This Quality: In the spring of 1991 a six-year-old girl found a bottle on a New Jersey beach. It contained two dollars. It also held a note: “Do something good with this.” She decided to give it to the homeless by giving somebody a meal. With the community’s help and her altruistic attitude, she was able to provide sixty homeless people lunch for one day.
Quote: The individual can take initiatives without anyone’s permission. … You do not belong to you. You belong to the universe. The significance of you will forever remain obscure to you, but you may assume that you are fulfilling your significance if you apply yourself to converting all your experience to the highest advantage of others. — Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) American futurist
Comment: In order to acquire altruism, and to experience altruistic behavior, submit yourself to the difficulty of recognizing the needs of other people. You may have to expose yourself to injustice or prejudice. There is opportunity to turn any “unfortunate” situation into a fortunate one. Each struggle blesses you with good qualities.
Color: red
Definitions: (1) very attractive or enticingly tempting; seductive; (2) fascinating; charming
Quotes:
• As a kid, I loved to climb trees. The distant, upper branches, especially, were celestial and alluring. ― Ian Frazier (1951-) American writer and humorist
• I find the world with its inequities and injustices to be messy, unfair, and complicated. The cosmos, on the other hand, is orderly and beautiful – this I find terribly alluring and captivating. ― Priyamvada “Priya” Natarajan (1969-) India-American physicist and astronomer
Definitions: (1) in a functioning status; animated; (2) in a state of motion; in force or operation; ongoing attention <“keep hope alive”>; (3) marked by a cheerful demeanor; sprightly; (4) acting clearly and vigorously; vibrant; vivid; (5) acute sensitivity to something <alive to the thrill of accomplishment>
Idiom: Live and let live. Love all. Serve all. — Jainism (Origin: 322–298 BC)
Quotes:
• Life is being on the wire; everything else is just waiting. — Karl Wallenda (1905-1978) German high-wire walker
• We’re so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget that the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, is what it’s all about. — Joseph John Campbell (1904-1987) American mythologist
Symbols: 1) air [the breath of life]; 2) bread; 3) daffodil flowers; 4) fire [must consume something to stay alive]; 5) the fountain; 6) the vine
Mythological Figure: Merodach. In Babylonian mythology, Merodach is the god of life and the benefactor of humans. And later, in Semitic mythology, the sun god and lord of all gods.
Definitions: (1) fully aware and attentive; wide awake; (2) quick to understand or respond; perceptive; (3) ready to act; watchful; vigilant; (4) moving with promptness; nimble; active; lively
Quotes:
• Opportunities present themselves every day – to everyone. You just have to be alert and ready to act. — Marc Ostrofsky (1961-) American entrepreneur
• When you wash your hands, when you make a cup of coffee, when you’re waiting for the elevator – instead of indulging in thinking, these are all opportunities for being there as a still, alert presence. — Eckhart Tolle [born Ulrich Leonard Tölle] (1948-) German-English spiritual teacher
Observation: One can train oneself to be alert to almost anything. It may, of necessity, be danger. It may, of lack, be attention. Or it may be any positive quality.
Symbol: an arrowhead (Native American)
Definitions: (1) ready or prompt to act or serve with cheerful willingness; (2) sprightliness; (3) denoted physical quickness coupled with enthusiasm
Derivation: Latin, “lively” or “eager.”
Quote: There are, indeed, few merrier spectacles than that of many windmills bickering together in a fresh breeze over a woody country; their halting alacrity of movement, their pleasant business, making bread all day with uncouth gesticulation; their air, gigantically human, as of a creature half alive, put a spirit of romance into the tamest landscape. ― Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894 ) Scottish novelist and poet
Definitions: (1) pleasant to the mind or senses; (2) willing or ready to concur or consent; (3) being in harmony; consonant
Synonyms: acceptable, grateful, placable
Quote: The concept of serendipity often crops up in research. Serendipity is the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things that were not being sought. — Akira Suzuki (1930-) Japanese Nobel prize chemist
Comment: You can always find something to disagree with. It is just as easy to find something to agree with. We have all met a few who are happiest in the midst of an argument. It can be a real challenge to douse their fires of discontent with the cool, patient waters of positive gentleness. On the other hand, maybe we should just get into it with them and make their day – with, of course, kindness and civility.
Definitions: (1) well-coordinated in movement; nimble; (2) active; lively; brisk; (3) mentally acute or aware; an ability to think quickly; resourceful
Synonyms: alert, spry
Quotes:
• Irony is a clear consciousness of an eternal agility, of the infinitely abundant chaos. ― Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel (1772–1829) German poet & philosopher
• At least once every human should have to run for his life. He might learn how his ancestors lived and that he himself is no different – in the crunch, his life depends on his agility, alertness, and personal resourcefulness. — Robert Anson Heinlein (1907–1988) American science fiction author & aeronautical engineer
Comment: There are many types of agility. Animals – including the human animal – have had to be agile enough to survive under dangerous situations. Jesus was very agile in countering the pharisee’s attempts to trick him up.
Symbols: 1) the stag; 2) the rabbit
Fictional Figure: Tarzan, a man raised in the jungle, became as agile as his ape family. — Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) Tarzan of the Apes
Definitions: (1) the highest love <God loves humankind as a whole, but also each individual>; (2) human adoration for God
Quotes:
• When you know how much God is in love with you then you can only live your life radiating that love. ― Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu [aka: Mother Teresa] (1910-1997) Albanian-Indian Catholic nun
• Agape doesn’t love somebody because they’re worthy. Agape makes them worthy by the strength and power of its love. Agape doesn’t love somebody because they’re beautiful. Agape loves in such a way that it makes them beautiful. ― Robert Holmes Bell (1970-) American author and speaker