At the risk of exposing my inner nerd, who here likes the theme song of The Mandalorian? Don't be shy – I unabashedly declare that I watch the show just to hear the song play during the end credits. Or have you ever swayed to the tune of Handel's Minuet? Or blasted out that rock song to the great annoyance of your children? For the record, that last example does not apply to me. I just happen to blast out other types of music besides rock, thank you very much.
Despite being neither a musician nor dancer, I appreciate good music, especially a musical piece that is strongly tied to a memory or evokes a powerful emotion. Have you ever had that experience? Such is the power of music and dance. There's something innate in all of us that has an appreciation for these art forms.
Music and dance are not simply forms of creative expressions. For folks like me who can't play a tune, we certainly appreciate them and rely on them to soothe our souls, or even to let our imagination soar. In my practice, music especially has many benefits in calming emotional distress as well as being an integral part of reminiscence therapy in patients with cognitive impairment.
This issue, we are very pleased to feature doctors whose talents lie beyond the practice of medicine, and who have dedicated their time in the pursuit of their passion for music and dance.
In addition, Dr Jipson Quah kick-starts our humble attempt to draw in more readers by introducing SMA News' first crossword puzzle. For those who enjoy such activities (especially since we can't travel or socialise much and have to stay home more these days), please do have a go and enjoy yourselves.
Our issue this month is truly meant to lighten the mood, which comes amid Phase Two (Heightened Alert), and hopefully we are in the midst of exiting that by the time of publication. However, the situation remains fluid, or as one minister puts it, "on a knife's edge". That message truly sank in when home-based learning was announced for our local schools yet again and people were only allowed to socialise in groups of two. We saw it coming, but I think for many, that heavy sense of deja vu still felt unnerving nonetheless.
I would draw your attention, especially, to SMA President's column on voicing support for healthcare workers. While Tan Tock Seng Hospital has thankfully reopened, healthcare workers continue to bear the brunt of having to manage COVID-19 patients, adhere to stringent infectious disease controls at work and worry about their families when at home. On top of that, our usual clinical work carries on to a limited but definitely essential extent.
It is traumatising to be on the receiving end of stigma and ignorance, and that has come in blatantly obvious forms from scooting away on an MRT train to, if I may say so, underhanded comments on social media disparaging some of our colleagues. #umbrage
I hope that our readers are aware that SMA is working hard for the profession, to represent our collective voices at the appropriate platforms and make a difference.
This is the way.