In Singapore, we celebrate Teacher’s Day on the first Friday of September. Usually children and teenagers shower their teachers with thank-you messages.

C suffers from anxiety and perpetually wears a mask. She never talks during class. If I ask her a question, I have to walk up to her desk, bend down and hear her whisper.

Different flowers bloom at different timings, but obviously if I don’t intervene, the status quo will be maintained for what seems like eternity. So, during last year’s Parent-Teacher Meeting, I asked her to write me a journal entry about her interests. I pledged to find the time to sit down with her and listen to her present her ideas.

Last week, she wrote something about a famous Singaporean singer called JJ Lin. As a follow-up, I asked her to write about her favourite Korean pop idols for this week.

This is what she submitted to me instead:

Her validation feels more authentic since it’s only January. I feel glad to bask in her warm words.