31/01/2026
A Song in the Waiting Room
I was recently in a hospital, accompanying my sister for a medical procedure. It took nearly the whole day. While she was in surgery, I sat in the waiting area with a book, though from time to time I found myself looking up and observing what was happening around me.
Staff and patients moved up and down the corridor as expected, but one nurse in particular caught my attention. She would step out of the doctor’s office to call patients in—and every time she did, she sang their surname.
It was a small thing, but it changed the atmosphere. Faces lifted. Smiles appeared.On one occasion, she called out, “Mr. O’Sullivan.” As he stood up, she sang “O Sull-i-van” to the tune of O Sole Mio. Mr. O’Sullivan walked forward laughing and praised her for lightening the mood. She replied that singing just came naturally to her.
As they walked toward the doctor’s office, I overheard him begin to explain the background of the name O’Sullivan—how it was Irish and dated back many years. Their voices faded as they entered the room.
Later, I spoke with the nurse and asked where she was from. She told me she was from the Philippines and that she loved singing. Despite it being nearly eight hours since the first patient of the day, she was still cheerful and enthusiastic, helping patients feel at ease. She even made me a cup of tea and offered me a packet of biscuits.
Her name was Ella. She also came from the same city in the Philippines as I do.
We can be like Ella. No matter our circumstances, we can choose to encourage others—to lift their spirits and serve with a smile. As the apostle Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers: “Encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Even after a long day of work, Ella carried on as if it were the beginning of her shift—still cheerful, still serving others, and still smiling genuinely.
Esther Pulham
A Word in Passing~ February 2026
https://www.barnesbaptistchurch.com/a-word-in-passing
