On 7 Apr 2010, I attended the monthly sharing session at Jing Si hall. The turnout for that night surely exceeded the average turnout rate for this once-a-month session. I thought to myself: “It must be the charm of Mdm Teresa that had attracted such a large turnout of around 300 people.”

Born in Shantou, Guangdong province of China in 1898, Mdm Teresa was abused by her uncaring and mean father when she was a child. Her father would often beat her and her siblings without any valid reason. She shared that back then; she was so poor and left with no alternative but to eat grass to sustain her hunger. From then on, she actually hoped to see that everyone would get proper food to eat and need not suffer from hunger.

With this resolution, Mdm Teresa went on to dedicate her life to provide care and support for the poor and hungry. Though she had gone through a lot of hardship in her life; she could still maintain a positive outlook throughout her life. Her willpower is so strong that she would never allow her spirit to be broken. She has put the Jing Si Aphorism, ‘Every achievement grows out of the seed of determination’ into real action.

When asked what was the secret to her longevity, she responded with a hearty ‘Ha ha ha.’ Simple as it may sound, I can relate that to another Jing Si Aphorism: ‘A frown and a smile are both possible. Why not smile?’ Mdm Teresa has been a person who has been smiling a lot and such a simple act has been keeping her going.

The cheerful centenarian has a great sense of humour and her sharing had been inspiring and entertaining as I just could not stop laughing away throughout her sharing. I believe many of the other people present would have similar thoughts with me as the hall was filled with lots of laughter.  She has her unique charisma which makes her so attractive despite being 113 years “young”. On top of that, it is evident that ‘Great Love’ and ‘Selfless Giving’ is running in the blood of Mdm Teresa, which let me relates to another Jing Si Aphorism: ‘Love is not asking from others, but is giving of oneself.’ 

Before the sharing of Mdm Teresa came to an end, she was asked to give a concluding speech. She responded promptly with four-word in Teochew “dai kay peng an”, which means ‘may all be well’. The hall was than filled with loud applause from the audience. It is a simple conclusion, yet very meaningful. Anon said the Five Simple Rules for Happiness is to ‘Free your heart from hatred’, ‘Free your mind from worries’, ‘Live simply’, ‘Give more’, and ‘Expect less’. I believe that Mdm Teresa is someone who has abided to the five simple rules and thus there is so much joy in her. This must have also helped to furnish her with that seemingly endless amount of energy to give and care for others.

Abraham Lincoln said: “In the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years.” For Mdm Teresa, she has a long and meaningful life.  Mahatma Gandhi asked: “What is faith worth if it is not translated into action?” Through the years in her life, the matron has been an excellent example of someone who lives up to the true spirit of volunteerism – giving without asking for return. The faith of Mdm Teresa is clearly priceless for she has consistently put it into action through her life.