Dear Y.E.S.S.,

Dear Get Along Easier,

It is very important to learn to get along in this multi cultural and multi ethnical society. Our world is so unique and full of challenges and for teens it is especially challenging. It is wonderful to see that teens such as yourself care about peace and want the world to be a better place.

As practicing Buddhists we recite the Golden Chain of Love and if we truly listen to these words we will be able to achieve peace. The title itself is a message that we are all linked (interdependent). We are all links in a chain and we must each be a strong link so that the chain itself can be strong.

Take notice the next time you are at school among your friends/in class or at home with your family, see if someone can change the mood of the people around them by being in a good mood or a bad mood. You will notice that people have an effect on other people, whether a student, parent, etc. We are all connected.

The Golden Chain of Love even tells us how to be a strong link and for everyone, teens especially, it=s important to remember to >think pure and beautiful thoughts,= >say pure and beautiful words,= and >do pure and beautiful deeds.= Your mind is very powerful. Perhaps you have heard it said Amind over matter.@ Your mind can build a city or tear a city down. How about the saying AGarbage in: Garbage out?@ You must choose what you let into your mind and in this new age of information you are always bombarded with images, words, music, through TV, videos, games, radio, and computer. Think of what are letting into your personal computer (your mind), what are you storing there?

We must build a more peaceful community by first making ourselves peaceful which in turn will make our family peaceful which in turns will make our community peaceful which in turns will make our world peaceful. Keep your link bright and strong and you will cause other links to be bright and strong too.