I often find myself praying when things get difficult, even though I don’t subscribe to any particular religion. PRAYER delves into the regrets I’ve had in past relationships — times when I mistakenly believed a toxic partner was my everything, only to realize I had become just as toxic in the process. Those experiences made me question my own sanity, sending me spiraling over even the smallest mistakes.

The emotions tied to trauma and grief are vast. It amazes me how deeply humans can feel, yet I spent so much of my youth detached from myself. I think the reason was simple: I didn’t want to face the truth. No one likes to suffer. If given the choice, most of us would skip grief entirely.

Ironically, facing our emotions and accepting reality is what allows us to grow — what makes us more resilient, better equipped to break free from destructive patterns that prolong suffering. Growing up in Singapore, I’ve seen how often people push their emotions aside. Whether it's to avoid distractions from work or because they see feelings as unimportant, emotional suppression is common. But to truly be human — to be connected with ourselves — we have to embrace it all. The highs of happiness and the so-called ‘unholy’ depths of pain. We have to let ourselves feel everything, so those emotions can finally pass — before they end up suffocating us.