After a whole year of study, teachers and students attended the 2021 FGS Temple of Toronto Humanistic College Appreciation Day on December 4, 2021. Over 90 people attended the event both in-person and virtual.

In the welcome speech, Venerable Chueh Fan, the Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, said that she had been looking forward to meeting everyone during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and this is the reason why this event was hosted both in-person and online. She thanked everyone for following the mask and safety policies while being at the temple. Moreover, the Abbess also shared how to achieve the goal of “Learning Never Stop” during the post-pandemic time. North America Humanistic College has been offering virtual classes by Venerables from both U.S. and Canada since the start of the pandemic. FGS Temple of Toronto also offered a variety of Interest Classes via online platforms.

In the Appreciation Day gathering, Social Education Department showed the highlights of the classes and students’ achievements. The host, Betty Young quoted Master Hsing Yun’s Dharma words as an introduction to inviting the teachers to share their insights into what’s most important.

Ms. Tracy Chang, “The Art of Chinese Tea” Class teacher, said whether making tea or tasting tea, it is essential to prevent wandering thoughts and to live in the moment.

Dr. Mong Tieng EE, the lecturer of “Knowing More about Children’s Emotions,” mentioned that she always holds an unbiased heart, no matter whether she is taking care of her family or treating her patients.

Mr. Kai Ming Chui, Calligraphy Class teacher, considered calligraphy and painting as another way of Buddhism cultivation. Either one goes forward or he will be left behind, so we must have the mindset of revolutionizing ourselves.

Ms. Ida Li, Floriculture Class teacher, talked about the difficulties of buying the flowers during the lockdown. She led students to creatively use fruits, vegetables and kitchenware to construct beautiful art pieces. This depicts Master Hsing Yun’s principles of “always provide a substitute when refusing someone” and “never give up”.

Venerable Chueh Fan awarded the teachers with Gratitude Certificates and a book written by Master Hsing Yun for their dedication. She encouraged everyone to overcome the difficulties by “Wisdom and Innovation”.

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