In Singapore, only two seasons exist.
Somehow, when walking the corridors of the hospital, there are four.
Emotions fill the air like the weather.
Sadness like rain, anger like thunderstorms, pain, a night of snowfall
And happiness a burst of sunshine.

I walk with an umbrella of support, my colleagues and mentors,
Until sunlight finds it’s way into the hallway of the clinic.
While I tell this story, I listen to my patients.
Stories, not always about sickness, but about hobbies,
The weather, or about holidays to places where four seasons truly exist.

Within me, I hold my own seasons, my own weather.
Grey skies and thunderstorms, only I can see.
But here, at work, patients’ storms matter the most.
We are the bridge, bridging between monsoons of emotions,
The cold of uncertainty and the warmth of hope.

I know I cannot fix everything.
Compassion and empathy, however, is choosing to stand in the rain anyway.
Being the umbrella and guiding them where, rain does not flood, and snow does not fall.

With every pain relieved,
Each muscle strengthened,
Each doubt answered
I continue to learn that empathy is seeing the person, not the problem,
And respect by listening. Listening to,
“Howling winds”, “rumbling thunder” and the “birds under the sun”.

Whilst only two seasons exist in Singapore,
I see each patient carrying their own four.
Walking with courage through adverse weather.
And so, with my umbrella in hand, I too walk with them,
For that’s what keeps me going.

This piece was selected as a winning entry in the CHEER™ Short Story Contest: Healing Tales 2025. This is part of a broader effort to capture the lived experiences of Allied Health and Pharmacy professionals. The contest highlights authentic stories that reflect the CHEER™ values—Compassion, Humility, Empathy, Encompassing care, and Respect—and how they are enacted in real-world practice.