In 2016, I attended the funeral wake of the late President S R Nathan. I spoke to a media outlet with deep emotion — expressing my respect by saying that I had "voted for him," not through the ballot box, but through personal support and admiration.
Unfortunately, those words were taken literally and published under a headline accusing me of dishonesty. It became a moment of awkward, negative publicity. At the time, I felt misunderstood — and honestly, quite hurt.
But nearly a decade later, I look back with softer eyes.
I now see that what I tried to express — my loyalty, my gratitude to a leader who meant something to me — simply didn't fit into a headline or a soundbite. I’ve since learned that language, especially when used metaphorically or poetically, can easily be misread in public spaces.
That moment taught me to be more mindful of how I speak in public. But more importantly, it taught me to be more compassionate — to myself, and to anyone who’s ever been misrepresented, misquoted, or made fun of for speaking from the heart.
We all have our own ways of honouring what we value. Mine may not have been perfect. But it was honest.
To anyone who’s been judged unfairly for expressing themselves with feeling — I see you. I’ve been there. And we keep learning, growing, and walking forward.