By Dr Pola Singh | Malaysia |
There’s a saying that has always struck a deep chord with me: “Hospital walls have heard more honest prayers than churches.” Not necessarily churches alone—this holds true for every house of worship, whether a mosque, temple or Gurdwara. At first glance, it may seem like a commentary on faith or religiosity, but on deeper reflection, it speaks volumes about the raw, unfiltered honesty that emerges from human beings when faced with suffering, uncertainty or helplessness.
In the sacred stillness of a hospital corridor, prayer often escapes not from memorised scripture, but from the deepest corners of the heart. People pray not to be seen, not out of obligation, but because they are clinging to hope — sometimes for their own lives, sometimes for those they love. These prayers, though not always polished or ritualistic, carry a weight of sincerity that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
That said, I find that true gratitude and awareness of life’s blessings can also give rise to equally heartfelt prayers — not just those born of desperation, but of appreciation. Personally, I consider myself fortunate to be in reasonably good health. Every time I walk into a Gurdwara and bow before the Guru Granth Sahib, I don’t just pray for myself. I thank the Divine for the well-being of my family and for the strength and grace that has kept us going.
It often hits me more intensely when I observe others around me — people my age, or younger — struggling to kneel, bend or even walk. In those moments, I don’t take my ability to move freely for granted. I feel humbled, and it reinforces my faith and my prayers. This awareness is itself a form of spiritual awakening.
But prayer is not a substitute for personal responsibility. I know that maintaining good health is a shared effort — God’s grace may open the path, but I must walk it. That means regular exercise, eating right and keeping my mind engaged. I believe in the adage, “God helps those who help themselves.” Prayer is not a passive act; it is a commitment to live consciously and responsibly, in alignment with the values we ask the Divine to bless us with.
It’s true that many turn to God only in moments of desperation, when there is nowhere else to turn. And while even those prayers are heard, imagine the spiritual strength we could build if we remembered God not just in crisis, but in calm. If we make time for God in our everyday lives — in gratitude, in quiet moments, in selfless acts — we’ll find that God has always had time for us. This was a belief my late dear sister, Ajaib Kaur, held firmly and instilled in all of us—her nine Tara Singh siblings especially. She would often remind us that if you make time for God, God will make time for you. For that enduring lesson, I am truly indebted to her.
Prayer, when done right, is more than a ritual. It is a conversation with the universe, a moment of self-reflection, a bridge between our inner struggles and higher purpose. Whether within hospital walls or in the quiet confines of a place of worship, it has the power to ground us, heal us, and remind us that we are never truly alone.
Dr Pola Singh, who retired as Maritime Institute of Malaysia director-general in 2011, is also the author of ‘Uphill — The Journey of a Sikh-Chinese Kampung Boy’
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