mind·ful·ness /ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/, noun: the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment non-judgmentally.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, 1944 – “With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment.” Nhat Hanh, 1926 – pictured: Since 2012, Jim... Read More

cre·a·tive /krē-ā’tiv/, adjective: resulting from originality of thought or expression; imaginative “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” Ayn Rand, 1905 – 1982 “To love a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Unknown author “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” Albert Einstein, 1879 –... Read More

kind·ness /ˈkīn(d)nəs/, noun: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate of others; goodness, compassion “A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” William Arthur Ward, 1921 – 1994 Thank you again for your generous donation of dictionaries to our third grade. The students are thrilled with them. They have been continually looking through them during the day. Judy Ainsworth, third grade teacher,... Read More

thank·ful /ˈthaŋk-fəl/, adjective: to be grateful, to show appreciation or praise “The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” Henry Ward Beecher, 1813 ― 1887 “Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end of having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey, 1954 ―... Read More

he·ro /ˈhirō/, noun: a person of great strength and courage who is admired or idealized for his or her outstanding achievements or noble qualities “You don’t raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll turn out to be heroes, even if it’s just in your own eyes.” Walter M. Schirra Sr., 1923 – 2007 “A hero is an ordinary... Read More

hap·pi·ness /ˈhapēnəs/, noun: conscious enjoyment of good fortune; contentment “Hoping to live days of greater happiness, I forget that days of less happiness are passing by.” Elizabeth Bishop, 1911 – 1979 “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” Charles Spurgeon, 1934 – 1892 “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do... Read More

com·pare /kəmˈper/, verb: 1. to examine the character or qualities of an object or person, especially in order to discover similarities or differences “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.” Lao Tzu, c. 531 BCE “Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare... Read More

Pride /prīd/ noun: 1. the feeling of doing your personal best; self-respect “Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.” Margaret Thatcher, 1925 – 2013 2. a group of lions forming a social unit example: Lions are the only cat species that forms social groups, called prides. All other cats... Read More

cor·ri·dor /ˈkôrəˌdôr/ noun: 1. a narrow passageway “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” Frank Smith, 1928 – “If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1906 – 1945 2. a long and narrow area of land, usually surrounded by neighboring lands... Read More

re·flec·tion /rəˈflekSH(ə)n/ noun: 1. the return of light or sound waves from a surface “For as sense telleth me, when I see directly, that the colour seemeth to be in the object; so also sense telleth me, when I see by reflection, that colour is not in the object.” Thomas Hobbes, 1588 – 1679 2. an image produced by or as if by a... Read More