After the September 11 terrorist attacks, I asked the children in my class: "If you could phone the president of the United States, the terrorists who hijacked the airplanes, the passengers who were killed, or any other person who was involved, what would you say to them?" Their answers touched my heart...

The terrorist attacks that wreaked havoc on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, not only shook the whole world, but also had a tremendous impact on children.

Aided by advanced media technology, information can now travel at such a dazzling speed that even ten-year-old children are fully aware of what is happening in the world. No longer "frogs in wells" who can only look up and see a little bit of sky, they care about the development of current events and often enjoy discussing them. Therefore it did not surprise me when I walked into my writing classroom the day after the terrorist attacks and heard the children twittering away about the tragedy.

"My father said it will start World War III."

"My mother called my grandma in New York and told her to save water."

"Hey, will a war really break out? I don't want that to happen. I don't want to die yet."

Hearing their animated discussions, I decided to play a game with them. They were overjoyed at my suggestion, and it seemed they no longer felt so bad about the tragedy.

First of all, I asked them to place Master Cheng Yen's aphorisms, which I had been teaching them, on their desks. They could pretend to call whomever they wanted, such as the president of the United States, the terrorists who hijacked the airplanes, the passengers who were killed in the accident, or any other persons involved, by quoting one aphorism. The aphorisms they chose touched my heart.

To the terrorists who hijacked the airplanes:

"It is wise of you to do whatever you should do; it is foolish to do whatever you should not."

"You will save yourself if you can change yourself; you will save others if you can influence them." Hsiao-hsuan said that because terrorists always blame their mistakes on others, hatred has a tendency to grow in their hearts and cause them to do wrong things.

"Say good words, harbor good thoughts, and do good deeds." Ya-ya said that as long as people can harbor good intentions, it is not likely for them to do bad deeds.

"A person is happy not because he owns a lot, but because he is not so fussy." Hsiao-yu commented shyly that conflicts often arise because people argue over trivial things.

"It is wise of you to do whatever you should do; it is foolish to do whatever you should not." Pao-pao pointed out that terrorists are foolish because they do things they should not.

"If you are doing good deeds, count me in; if you are doing evil, count me out!" With wide-open eyes, Chi-te asked how one could do such evil things as hijacking and killing people.

To President Bush of the United States:

"If you are compassionate, you will have no enemies; if you are wise, you will have no worries."

"If you can forgive others, you are being kind to yourself." Hsiao-chia earnestly hoped that the president of the United States could show clemency in dealing with the terrorists and influence and reform them with love.

"If you are compassionate, you will have no enemies; if you are wise, you will have no worries." Ching-ching remarked softly that if the American president decided to return evil for evil, wouldn't he be beset by more worries once the war breaks out?

"True love lies in taking good care of one's heart." Hsiao-feng said that President Bush should show love for his people by avoiding war, which will only cause more deaths. He should think twice before he starts a war.

"If you look at a chipped cup from another angle, it is still round." Hsiao-wei goodheartedly advised the president to look for the goodness in his enemies and try to help them turn their evil thoughts into good ones.

To Osama bin Laden:

"Challenge others with love, not threats."

"The worst enemy one has is none other than himself." Shao-shao thought that there must be a demon living in Osama bin Laden's heart. The demon drove away the goodness in his heart and caused him to do something wicked.

"Only when a person repents of his sins will he be purified and be relieved from anxiety." Hsiao-jung said that since Osama bin Laden had made a gross mistake, he should admit it bravely. If he keeps hiding, it might cause the United States to attack Afghanistan. It is not right to ask others to pay for the mistake he committed.

"Challenge others with love, not threats." Chun-chun thought that the first thing Osama should learn is how to love people.

"When vegetables are planted in a field, weeds do not grow; when a person has a good heart, he does not do evil." Hsiao-chin believed Osama had done something very wrong by training young people to be killing machines and teaching them to hate and fight against Americans.

"Don't be afraid of making errors, but of not correcting them. Then it will be easy to correct the errors." Huan-huan advised Osama to make good vows, repent of his wrongdoing, and ask for the forgiveness of the victims and their families.

To the victims' families:

"Getting angry is actually punishing yourself with others' faults."

"Getting angry is actually punishing yourself with others' faults." Hsiao-chao said with empathy that she knew the victims' families must be very angry and they must have a strong desire to skin the hijackers alive. But the hijackers are dead too. If the victims' families let themselves be consumed by anger, they will only feel more miserable.

"If you can yield to others a bit more and love them a bit more, you will lead a happy life." Hsiao-wei advised the victims' families to transform their selfish small love--the love that we only give to close relatives--into Great Love.

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After hearing these children's comments, I knew that although they might be wrong or naive in some of their thinking, their hearts are undoubtedly filled with kindness and they hope that peace will reign in the world.

I hope that as their teacher I can carefully guide these children toward the right path and help prevent their minds from being contaminated by this lowly world. It is my sincerest hope that they can maintain a pure, childlike mind and always love and care for other people.

Let's pray for all the victims and for all mankind. May everyone in the world have peace and happiness at all times.