Teresa Hsu (7 July 1898 – 7 December 2011) started to do social work in her forties and continued to help and care for the poor and the aged sick well into the final days of her life. She started Home for the Aged Sick and Heart to Heart Service in Singapore, relentlessly offering help to those in need. She was still actively involved in charity work after turning 110.
I admire her charitable work and contribution to the society. I also admire her:
Tireless Learning
She was illiterate at 27. One day, she barged into a church begging the nuns to let her study. In exchange, she offered to do chores for them. And so, she started primary education at the age of 27.
She picked up yoga at 69 years old! She went on to teach yoga to the young and old at temples, associations, hospitals and schools.
Minimal Living
Her clothes were either given to her or picked up from rubbish bins. She is a vegetarian and she ate simply. Her breakfast was a glass of water or milk. Lunch was often milk and salad, and it was milk or yogurt for dinner. She also maintained her mental well-being by practising yoga and staying optimistic.
I prefer to laugh than to weep. Those people who cry to me, I always tell them it is better to laugh than to use tissue paper, as laughing is free but tissue paper still cost five-cent. 'Ha ha ha' cost no cents.She is remarkable.
