Month: January 2025

daily prompt

Artificiality

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If you could un-invent something, what would it be?


Man-made inventions are part of artificiality, right?

Look around you now, wherever you are, how many things can you spot that are man-made, unnatural, or artificial?

As I am sitting at home now, I can tell you that most of my surroundings are artificial, except for me, my family, my birds, the dates I’m nibbling on, and the front garden I keep glancing at out of the window on my left side.

Do we need artificial things? Of course we do, but I believe extra artificaility become too much – too much to buy, too much to wear, too much to eat, too much to show off, even too much to go, etc.

Imagine making a simple homemade cake. All you need is flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and baking powder. You can add some natural flavours and fruits. Done. But why, that’s not enough. Artificiality implies more ingredients: icing sugar, marshmallows, chocolates, strange colours, and exotic flavours. Now, isn’t that too much. That’s just a simple example of how extra artificiality can turn from what we need to what we greed.

That’s not all with artificiality. I mean it’s become more than things and settings. It extends to human feelings, communications, and behaviours. You make a cake to eat, maybe to celebrate something, or perhaps you just crave it. Happily, you devour it at once or in two days. Your family might have some too. You might feel a bit disappointed if an unexpected visitor decided to pay you a visit on that special day and have the last piece of your almost finished cake. Those are simple, natural feelings.

With extra artificiality, you dress like a celebrity, take ten photo shots, add animation, emojs, music, tags, and finally share your special cake creation with the entire world. Then, you bin it because you are on diet. All the fun is artificial, short-lived, and forgotten in a split second

If there is anything I wish to un-invent, it would be this extra artificiality.

Perhaps this post will be your and my first step!

With all the best wishes,

Nahla.

P.S. Artificiality is the first thought that crossed my mind when I read today’s prompt, and though I didn’t write it all straightaway, I wrote down the title before it disappeared. It’s a recommended writing skill, I really appreciate.

daily prompt

To be loved

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Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

It is to feel relief, comfort, and safe when crying into your beloved’s arms.

One day, just after the lockdown, I was walking home from school with my daughter. As we neared the end of a shortcut side road, I glanced at someone walking with a small child, about three years old. I immediately recognised the child as my new friend’s son, and guessed the person with him was his father. After brief greetings, the man asked if I knew his wife.

‘Yes,’ I replied looking down at the child, feeling uncomfortable. No one had ever stopped me on the road to ask whether I knew his wife before. If it werent for the child I was looking at, I would have ignored the man.

‘She died,’ said the man, and my head snapped towards him. Shocked, I remained silent wondering whether what I had just heard was correct.

‘Because of COVID,’ he added, and I stood there, still, all the convenient words ran out of my mind.

He added a few sentences, I didn’t hear and I didn’t want to hear.

‘May Allah rest her soul, and make Eden her eternal home.’ I finally said and walked away from him, clasping  my daughter’s hand tight.

‘What he was telling you, Mama,’ my daughter asked as she always found it hard to understand different dialicts of Arabic.

‘Will tell you later,’ I told her as we hurried toward our house.

I knew my daughter guessed what he said, because the word died was clear and harsh as he said it. We went home, and my daughter ran to her room. I knew she did’t want to know anything about the man or what he said.

There, my eldest son had just come home, and after one look at my face, he knew something was wrong. My tears flooded down my face as I leaned against his shoulder.

‘I can’t believe she died …I had …  known her … for … a few months … and her children …. they are … still young.’ I wept and wept, and my son listened, patting my shoulder until I had no more tears to shed.

‘But her husband had no sense. I just want to punch him in the face. How could he just throw that heartbreaking news at someone he doesn’t know, and on the road.’

‘Yes, Mama, but now you’re better.’

Can anything else be better than crying into your beloved’s arms?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Books

A reader’s conflict

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Last week after finishing an interesting book, I decided I wouldn’t write a review about it. But since then, I kept thinking I had to write down my thoughts about it, otherwise my mind wouldn’t rest, wouldn’t stop replaying it in my head.

Can you guess why I had this conflict?

Actualy, this conflict was what inspired me to write my  “Villians” post, a few days ago. In that post, I was reflecting on my own conflict on how to feel about the book. I enjoyed it, but mainly because it was full of suspense and adventure, but I couldn’t sympathise with the characters. Perhaps that’s what the author wanted from the reader, to not sympathise with the characters.That’s what exactly I meant when I wondered whether you, as a reader, would enjoy the adventure for its own sake, or the story that touches your heart with a moral message.

If you want to know a bit more about the book, have a look at my review. Here’s the link:

/https://nh825.wordpress.com/2025/01/17/the-frenchmans-creek/

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

My one-of-a- kind reading strategy

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While reading, I sometimes come across mentions of authors. Immediately, before I forgot, I check their brief biography and pick one of their books in my want-to-read list. Occasionally, though rarely, the book is a suggestion or a recommendation.

Honestly, I am not always loyal be to my want -to- read list. But the good thing is that once I make my mind to read a book, I will read it all. It’s something like challenging  myself, or out of curiosity to discover what this book has for me.

How long does it take to finish a book? That depends on how I like the book. If it is boring, and I feel like I won’t enjoy it, I read it when I am bored or when I don’t bother interruptions. For example, at a  café or when I am waiting for my daughter to finish her clubs.That’s why some books take much longer than others for me to finish.

On the other hand, I will read the books I like when it’s all quiet, espcially at home. I will finish them before I could even know it. With this strategy, I might have two books to read at the same time, one like a player on the bench waiting to be in action, and another scoring a goal after goal on the pitch.

Sometimes I wonder, you might too, why I just don’t return the book I don’t like, or keep it unread on the shelf? Honestly, I just feel there’s always something hidden there to learn. The only exception, when my mind won’t work this way, is when I’ve watched its adaptation which, for me, means all the fun of reading is blown into thin air.

I am sure you haven’t heard of this strategy before, or have you?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Villians

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Have you ever, even somtimes, sympathised with those villians who are dramatised in movies and fiction, as kind hearted people with noble deeds? Something like, they rob banks but they also give plenty to the poor. Worse still, especially when it’s a love story with handsome characters, you go ahead and analyse their cases from a psychological point of view, mainly to make them victims not criminals.

Your analysis would suggest that, perhaps, it was the hard circumstances, the upbringing, ignorance, injustice, and sometimes even boredom, that forced them to follow the devil. Of course, that suggestion doesn’t entirely destroy the goodness inside villians.

And, in conclusion, you would also suggest that villians need a chance, an open door, or a relocation to shed their devilish skin. Then, with a new brand of skin, they would be able to listen to their nagging conscience and pump some light into their dark heart. Things might work this way, but it might not becuase there might be other scenarios.

What if they don’t have a nagging conscience? What if they block the light instead of letting it penetrate their dark hearts? What if repentance wasn’t in their dictionary and power and egotism are their main, sole creed?  What if the devil himself was just an apprentense in their handicraft? And finally, what if they want to always play the villian, the highly qualified egonist?

Would you still sympathise with them, and cry at the end of the story because they were hanged, prisoned, and didn’t have a second chance?

Why don’t you, while reading the story, consider that God surely hasn’t assigned villians to rob the rich to feed the poor?

Have you ever thought that, with all excuses, all masks, and all pretences, vilians can’t erase their malicious achievements from their resume without adding a pure, repentent heart to it? Of course that does not mean that a villian would straightaway turn into an angel, but they, probably, would turn straightaway into a human with a living heart.

Would you, as a reader, prefer a story that makes you weep for joy after the lost soul finally starts seeking light? Or would you just enjoy a story for its adventure regardless of the route it takes, just the journey for its own sake?


With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

A flight will do, right?

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Think back on your most memorable road trip.

A year before the lockdown, during the Christmas break, my family and I went on holiday to a beautiful country in North Africa.

Can you  guess which one?

Excited and happy, we headed to Heathrow Airport, had a light meal, browsed around the shops, and finally completed our check-in and boarded the plane.

The flight was full. Passengers, as usual, were talking, laughing, yelling, and some were dozing off. The clicking of seat belts began, and as my husband tried to fix his, he realised that his seat was swinging. I stifled a laught, watching him trying to stablise it, but it was no use. It was broken, but the hostess assured him that it would be fine. No worries!

But worries I couldn’t avoid especially when the plane started taking off. It was the worst, and most violent takeoff I have ever experienced on a flight. The night was clear, and the weather was calm, so I couldn’t understand why things were not smooth. Once the flight disappeared into the sky, and dived into its deep dark waves, announcements of air bumps and turbulences didn’t stop. The plane started shaking, not slightly, but harshly, as if it was a toy in a spoiled child’s hands.

Praying, I did and tried to look cool like the other passengers. My daughter’s seat was next to mine, and we were both full of  fear and worry. When things calmed down a bit, she asked me to swap seats with her eldest brother. I did, and moved to sit next to my middle son.

‘What a great flight,’ he whispered, looking at me, and we both burst out laughing, but just as we started to calm down the plane suddenly dropped. Our hands locked as we sat back, clothing our eyes. A moment later, the drop stopped.

‘Are we going to die?’ He looked at me, laughing.
‘No, we’re going on holiday’.’ I smiled, taking a deep breath to get ready to the aircraft’s miraculous landing.

Thank God, we arrived safe and sound.

‘You have been making this trip quite a lot. Why didn’t you tell me how horrible this flight is? I asked my husband, as we hurried out of the plane

‘You know I fell asleep once I took my seat.’ My husband said, just as simple as that.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Cinderella’ Dream

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Definitely, Cinderella didn’t dream of marrying the king or the prince. Perhaps, it was because she didn’t descend from the royal family. But, maybe, it was also because she wasn’t after money or fame. According to the story, all Cinderella wanted was a decent life full of kindness and love. But then, the package came with a handsome prince. Would any sensible girl refuse it? Of course, not.

On the other side, have you ever wondered that the prince had also his own dreams, his own wishs? He wasn’t after the pretty princess who lost a pair of her sparkly shoes as she ran away when the clock struck midnight. According to the story, he was also seeking kindness and love.

Isn’t this quote so true: “What you need you attract like a lover.” Better still,  God knows our hearts, what’s lying and hidden deeply there. He listens and makes plans in His perfect timing. That’s part and parcel of Faith, my faith.

Have you read The Rose Garden Husband by Margaret. I like its simplicity and normality. Good stories do not  always have to be complicated and thrilling, do they?

Here’s the link for my book review;

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2025/01/11/the-rose-garden-husband/

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Not a toy story person!

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Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

Take care of your stuff, son. Nahla will bin anything she thinks is of no need or use.” My mother warned  my husband, laughing, when we married years ago.

I don’t get as attached to things or places as I do to people, and sometimes animals. Perhaps that explains why whenever we move to a new place, I adapt quickly, and feel more excited than nervous.

On the other hand, getting attached to people is such a hard, painful experience because that’s life; always changing, always full of surprises.

One day, during the last year of my high school, my best friend’s mother knocked on our door around seven o’clock in the evening. I was surprised to see her as I had barely seen her when I visited my friend. But then, I understood that she was looking for her daughter (my friend) who left the house early in the morning after having a big row with her older brother. Shocked and trembling, I told her I hadn’t seen her at all that day. The mother left, her face full of anger and disappointment. I wept buckets that evening that my sister felt sorry for me and suggested we walk to my friend’s house to see if she had gone home. She did return, and I hugged her so long when she opened the door.

A week or so later, when I entred my class at school, I found another girl taking my friend’s seat next to me. Before I could ask about my friend, the girl gestured to one of the back benches and told me my friend wanted to swap places from now on. As I turned back to see where my friend was, I saw her laughing with one of boldest, most talkive girl in our year group. It hurt so much, more than the day I thought she would never return home. That day, I wept hard, but she was no longer my friend.

From that day on, especially after years of living abroad and meeting different people, I have enough of experience that my attachment to others has become less and less emotional. I have been training and teaching myself to be cool and practical, and expect less than more from others. And, things turn out to be much easier this way; simply like exchanging hellos and Goodbyes.

No strong attachment, no more expectations.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Let’s play with the word

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What is your mission?

I read recently that the word ‘impossible’ can be also read as I’m possible.

What about the word ‘mission’? Can we play a bit with it in a different way?

I don’t know about you, but I think the word itself sounds so formal, complicated, and too rigid and narcissistic to relate to everyone.

Certainly, when you say ‘I have a mission’, or ‘I am on a mission,’  you are already announcing to yourself, first and foremost, that you have set your mind on doing a specific target, reaching a ceratin goal, and gaining a certain reward. “Mission fulfilled,” you would burst with pride when it’s all done. Unfortunately, in this formal, complicated context, you might have to say: “Mission failed,” with a broken heart, and full of despair.

Therefore, why not simplify the word ‘mission’ to a  plan, a task, or even a dream? At least with its simplified version, you might feel less pressured, less stressed, and less burdened. Some priorities might surface along your mission, requiring you to consider some humane appeals, some sensible decisions, and some simple needs. These changes and possibilities might let you open the door to making adjustments, diversions, or even finding peace.

On a mission, you can turn a deaf ear to your conscience and avoid seeking other possibilities. But when think of it as plan, a task, or better yet, a dream, you can listen to your heart, and see the possible in the impossible.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Blue and Sky

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What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?


I have two cute parakeets for about three years now. Their story at my house started when my son’s colleague asked him if I could take care of her bird while she was away for a week. Of course I welcomed the tiny creature. Since it wasn’t mine, I never let him out of the cage but it was a torture watching him inside. Though, I liked him, I also couldn’t wait until he would go back to his friend. His short stay visits became frequent, and one day my son wondered if I would like to keep him for ever. Of course, I agreed, but I asked him to get a companion for my little friend. He did, and since then we have two: Blue and Sky.

‘How long do you expect birds would live?’ My son usually asks, teasing me.
‘Why does that matter? Today, they are alive, chirping, fighting, playing, eating, and flying around.’ I answered, making a face at him.

Do you think birds care about how long they are going to live? I don’t think so. But they do, of course, care about their life and take good care of it.

There is a common saying in Arabic:  “The soul is so precious.”

Every breath counts, every day counts, and every moment counts.

That’s my concept of a very long life.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla