choice /CHois/ noun: 1. the act of selecting among alternatives or multiple possibilities “When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels.” Anonymous 2. the power, authority or privilege of making a decision “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” Stephen Covey, 1932 – 2012 “Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.” Mildred Barthel   pictured: Members of the... Read More

ul·ti·mate /ˈəltəmət / adjective: being or happening at the end of a process, final; maximum or extreme “Let us not be afraid to help each other—let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and Senators and Congressmen and Government officials but the voters of this country.” Franklin... Read More

1. noun: the sound produced in a person’s larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song “Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all causes—goodwill among men and peace on earth.” Albert Einstein, 1879 – 1955 2. noun: a wish, choice, or opinion openly or... Read More

goal /ɡōl/, noun: 1. the object of a person’s ambition or effort; purpose “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C. S. Lewis, 1898 – 1963 2. an aim or desired result “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” Confucius, 551 BCE – 479 BCE... Read More

cel·e·brate / ˈseləˌbrāt/, verb: 1. to do something joyous or special to honor an important event, occasion, holiday, etc. “It’s always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you’re going.” Anthony Burgess, 1917 – 1993 “Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words.” Plautus, 255 BCE – 185 BCE... Read More

trans·for·ma·tion /tran(t)sfərˈmāSH(ə)n/, noun: 1. a complete change in form, appearance, or character “Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” Rick Warren, 1954 – “Transformation literally means going beyond your form.” Wayne Dyer, 1940 – 2015 “Meditation is the... Read More

fan·tas·tic /fanˈtastik/ adjective: 1. imaginative or fanciful “Children seem to need, then, a delicate balance between the realistic and the fantastic in their art; enough of the realistic to know that the story matters, enough of the fantastic to make what matters wonderful.” Eric S. Rabkin, 1946 – 2. unusual, or unlikely “Poetry, even when apparently most fantastic, is always a revolt against artifice,... Read More

win·dow /ˈwindō/, noun: 1. an opening in a wall, door, etc., that usually contains a sheet of glass “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Rogers Hornsby, 1896 – 1963 2. a means of entrance or access “Better keep yourself clean and bright; you... Read More

dis·ci·pline /ˈdisəplən/ noun: 1. control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and punishing bad behavior “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” George Washington, February 22, 1732 – 1799 “There is no magic wand that can resolve our problems. The solution rests with our work... Read More

heart·felt /ˈhärtˌfelt/, adjective: 1. (of a feeling or its expression) deeply felt; very sincere example: thank-you letters from third graders. Dear Dictionary Project, Thank you for the big, yellow dictionary. It helps me every day and it is very kind of you to give them to us. We all love them. You really do a really good job! Sincerely, Lindsey