Just writing

Who doesn’t?

Do you need time?

Time is what we are. More precisely, it is  what our life is.

When we are young, we don’t care about it, don’t think about it. Precious or not, we enjoy it. It streches long and green before us. But the older we become, the more we think about it and live every second of it. We no longer measure it as we live its all colours.

Can anyone say I don’t need time? Can anyone live without time? I doubt it.

Working, studying, writing, reading, making a family, raising children, cooking, cleaning, exercising, etc, all need time. Even our emotions need time.

Love needs time. Yes, one can fall in love at the first sight, in a split second. But,  it’s time that proves whether this love is an infatuation, a passing fancy, or genuine. Hate also needs time though one can hate at the first sight. Our attempts to get rid of this feeling or that need time. It’s time that can explain why and how we have the feeling and whether we will ever overcome it.

Of course, I need time.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Safe place

Have you ever found yourself having to move to another place? A totally different place? Or, perhaps, to a bit farther from the familiar place, faces, and things you used to see and live with?

I did.

Whether you planned for that change or it was imposed on you, whether you are happy or mad about it, the result is the same: you have to move.

And you move becuase it was time to leave that certain place, those certain people, and the those certain things you have been doing. Perhaps it’s to make a new beginning, a new life, new friends, or new projects. But, perhaps it’s also to move you into a safer place. That doesn’t necessarily mean being saved from natural catastrophes. But there could be other types of catastrophes; social, personal, emotional or even moral.

In my heart, I believe it’s mainly God’s timing. It is a divine mercy. God is the One who knows best, and He is the One who will always put us in a safe place.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Change the world!

What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world?

Should it be to change the world? Isn’t it changing already every second? Isn’t it full enough with “influencers” who believe they are the new inspirational figures in our changing world.

Honestly, years ago, when I started blogging I was not thinking about changing the world but changing myself. That can’t be selfishness, can it?

Anyway, my first thought was to write again, to practise a hobby I had long forgotten, and to turn my voice into written words. My second thought was to change my daily routine, my social media circle, and my everyday conversations. And, my third thought was to be the writer I have once dreamed to be.

So, and back to the issue of  changing world, I hope my blog would encourage others to write, to smile, and to believe that life is not an accident.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Acknowledgement

How do you express your gratitude?

What can be better than acknowledge the help, the support, the kindness, the time, the care, the advice, the lesson, the comlement, and the so many other things that we receive from others and that make a change in our life.

Isn’t it a wonderful gesture of gratitute to add some extra few lines acknowledging others’ contributions, moral or theoretical, to the completion of your thesis, book, research paper, or even to your life in general. 

Isn’t the simple, genuine, ‘Thank you’, whether spoken or written convey much about your being grateful.

Things don’t have to be fancy or expensive, and words don’t have to be two page speech to express our gratitude. It’s our genuine acknowledgement of the part that others played in your life that matters, that can really express your gratitute.

Sometimes, I wonder how some people could be so cruel, so ungrateful to ignore and forget how much others have done and given to them.

Kind words are free, so why be so thrifty to utter any?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Noah’s Ark

Someone was commenting on the current events around the world saying ” Is it really logical that people nowadays are from the offspring of the righteous people who had embarked on Noah’s Ark. But then, what kind of morals did those who had drowned in the flood have?’

That’s funny but it also makes a good point.

But, perhaps, we should think more about Noah than his people or his offspring. How did he cope with mockery, hatred, and betrayal? How didn’t he give up building his Ark? Never. How strong was his faith? And how he made a new start and lived a better, longer life?

Noah was patient, faithful, and resilient. He had never lost hope, never abandoned his faith. In the end, he was saved while most of his people drowned.

Could we just embark on Noah’s Ark and do our best to live a good,  healthy life on this earth?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Second CV

Have you ever heard people say that your quotes is your second CV? Well, I have read about that recently. Does this make any sense? I think it does.

Our CVs are loaded with our qualifications, work experiences, hobbies could be added, and some personal details. Of course all information provided should be well crafted to support our applications either for work or studies. Besides, all information provided should be accurate and up to date. But, does that guarantee the acceptance, your being a successful applicant. Absolutely not. That could be for many reasons. The first might be because you’re unqualified. The last could be because you’re highly qualified. But then, the whole issue is mainly about qualifications – which, nowadays, are quite like a silver spoon in the mouth of the AI generation.

When you decide to include some of your favourite quotes, or even the most you like in any of your readings, do they give any idea about your personality, your life, your values, and even your sense of humour (if you have any)? I believe they do. And, that’ s how your quotes become your second CV.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Charlie and the chocolate factory

Describe your dream chocolate bar.

Is there any flavour, any type that one can wish for a chocolate bar and can’t find these days? Things have turned out just like Charlie’s and the chocolate  factory.

Like everything, all commodities are available. All dreams are coming true these days. All the impossible is possible even in the chocolate industry.

But, isn’t that funny? We have varieties of chocolate types and flavours and still some dream of more. More to spoil children, more to show off, more to gain weight, more to lose weight, more to store, more to discard, etc. Have you ever thought that even the detained hippo in the zoo with his big full open mouth would never dream of being that spoiled, would never dream of a chocolate bar with a different flavour?

By the way, today I wished I have got a chocolate bar, a simple original one, to give to a cute school girl I’ve been seeing everyday as I walk with my daughter to her school in the morning. It was just today that she had the courage to exchange a few words with me before she hurried to go to her school. Her genuine smile and few words were enough to make my day without any fancy chocolate bar dreams.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

There is a time

There is a time to accept change, to make new beginnings. If you haven’t planned for things to change, and if the change has taken you by surprise, then I believe you have to accept it.

It’s all like being on a train journey. You have your ticket, and you know your destination, but you are also aware you might need to change trains or there might be some delays. In every circumstance, you have to cooperate, to accept things becuase it will be futile and illogical to stay stuck in the stationary or broken down train.

I have moved quite a lot since my husband and I had decided to make our big move to the UK. Honestly, in every move to a different city, I felt as though change sought me out rather than the other way round. In other words, I have never played the role of a nagging wife, either crying to make changes or fighting to resist any. I accept it. But then, with each move, I found some hidden gifts for me. I met with new people, I learn new things, and I change. 

A godsend is not always desguised as a human. Unexpected changes in our lives can also be divine blessings.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Why else?

Imagine you have a long list of contacts, relatives, and acquaintances and you rarely hear from them either through normal calls or messages. You thank God when some have the sense and reply back to any of your messages. Then, all of a sudden and out of the blue, they call and talk nonstop.

‘Oh, did you know what happened?’ ‘God, how funny those old days were!’ ‘You haven’t heard about that, have you?’ ‘My parents always remember you in their prayers.’ Etc. That’s their common narrative introduction.

And, almost, when you think perhaps you have been unfair. Or perhaps you are the one who needs to call quite often, just then, your dear caller relieve the reason behind the memorable call. In good scenarios, they will ask for a favour or a piece of information, or to know bits and pieces about your news that had already reached their ears by others. But, in worse scenarios, they will erupt like a volcano and throw their flames of accusations and hidden grudges.

That’s when I think of ‘why else’? Why else did they call? Sometimes I switch off this nugde of ‘why else,’ and enjoy the show. But, when things become too much, I choose my peace of mind and it becomes thanks but no more.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Who would it be?

There are many who have crossed my mind when I saw this prompt on Instagram. Family, friends, and even some acquaintances. But then, we would be sharing things we already know. Memories, everyday routines, problems, good or bad news, etc.  And in a blink of an eye, the one hour would be gone. We’d thank God if the chat was brief and we felt happy. But we’d hate every moment of the hour if things turned otherwise. That’s why I changed my mind about the list I first picked as I had a second thought.

A stranger. I finally decided it would be a stranger. But, isn’t that happening more often? You sit at one further end of a bench, and then, someone takes the other end. Perhaps they would ask if that was okay. You would nod with a smile and that’s it. But, I don’t actually talk about that stranger.

A stranger, in this context, is the person you’ve already met before- a person you know but have never talked to. Perhaps, one of the neighbours, a teacher at your college or your children’s school, or even the librarian.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a light chat, to hear a different story, learn something new, and, perhaps, make a new friend.

What about you? Try and write about yours?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla