Category: Just writing

Just writing

As Young… As Old

nhpureandsimple

“Youth is not entirely a time of life.

It is a state of mind … 

you are as young as you hope, 

as old as you despair.”

Isn’t that a beautiful quote? 

Surprisingly it is by anonymous.

Does this make it less beautiful?

No.

Still, some people may reply: Hope is for the young and the old live by nothing but despair.

Sure, these ones’ level of desperation exceeds all limits.

Apparently, they only read “old” and “despair” from the entire quote.

They think “anonymous” means “nobody”, and therefore not trustworthy. 

But let’s focus on the sunny side.

Hope is the light that nourishes life, energy, dreams, and continuity.

Despair is the darkness that binds life, energy, and continuity.

Whether you are young or old,

it’s all about how you direct your state of mind:

towards hope or towards despair,

towards light or darkness.

And perhaps you can also direct your mind to

appreciate the advice,

even if it was given by someone anonymous.

Because anonymity makes the words belong to everyone.

With sunny thoughts,

 Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

The most important invention in life.

nhpureandsimple

I know this is technically about real big inventions like cars or home appliances.

But life is overflowing with important inventions. 

Really, if you pick one, you’ll find another more important.

When I search for something, I find dozens of versions of it.

They seem important, some very important, but later you realise they are not.

Haven’t you been living without them for a long time?

Of course you have.

This is why I thought of something else.

Something that only you can invent,

only you can use, 

and only you can keep.

Can it be my style? I wondered.

And, why not? I answered.

But, there are different kinds of styles.

Still, you are the only one who can merge them all.

Have you ever noticed how you, consciously or unconsciously, follow one style in everything you do?

By the way this isn’t a fact, just an observation.

How do you choose your clothes?

How do you design your house?

How do you eat and make food?

How and what do you write? 

And so much more…

All of these can blend together and invent your own style.

And it’s important, very important.

It can tell others more about you.

And perhaps… 

it can also explain why you cope with some but not with others.

With new quiet thoughts,

Nahla

P.S. this is my second response to today’s daily prompt.

I totally forgot about my first.

https://pure-and-simple.co.uk/2025/02/06/important-and-unimportant/

You can consider this post is an extension to my first response.

Just writing

February, Readings, and Me

nhpureandsimple

Is it already February? 

Yes, it’s the fourth of February.

This month is so impatient.

It’s generous with its sunny days, but stingy with its warmth.

So why am I talking about February?

Because my book-review website, which is already struggling, will apparently struggle even more.

I’m planing no addition to it this month.

It is not easy to review a nonfiction book in a personal, contemplative blog. 

I can do that for research and theoretical studies, but not for a blog that’s meant to protect my peace of mind blog.

So, back to Mr February.

Please slow down, have some mercy on my book-review blog.

The Japanese book is interesting, but it has three big parts which could, actually, count as three books, if only I had the time to read them.

And there’s another problem; I already have my reading plan for the month of Ramadan, which begins on the 17th of this month.

Oh, my poor Japanese book, I think I picked you at the wrong time.

But don’t worry, I’m determined to finish you one day.

And as for you, my book-review blog, have a quiet break.

All sorted out, Mr February.

With busy-month thoughts,

Nahla 

Just writing

Motivation

nhpureandsimple

M for moral.

O for open-minded.

T for try.

I for important.

V for value.

A for alternatives.

T for time.

I for ideas.

O for optimistic.

N for new.

If you ever get stuck in any situation ( writing included), try playing with its concept, its word, or its technique. 

It really works, but only if you want it to.

Now… the word “motivation” can sometimes and…. unfortunately have unpleasant connotations.

But anyway it all depends on your Motivation.

With optimistic and moral thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Start again

nhpureandsimple

How many times do you get disappointed about something?

How many times do you get confused, shocked, and sorry?

A lot, right? 

But isn’t that life? 

Sometimes you feel you’re too close to achieve your dream, 

Too close to touch it, 

Too close to hold it.

And then, at some point, you find yourself standing there,

 right in the middle of nowhere.

Shall I give up?

Shall I go on? 

Shall I follow this direction or that one? 

Was it ever meant for me?

It’s hard when you get caught in this trap of disappointments, especially when you’re trying your best,

trying to focus on the sunny side,

on the full half of the cup.

Then…

you realise your only opportunity is to start again.

Shall you take it?

Why not? 

Isn’t this life too? 

It tests our faith,

our patience,

and perhaps also…

our strength.

It seems to be yelling, 

“It’s time to start again.”

With positive thoughts,

 Nahla

Just writing

Too many books

nhpureandsimple

At the beginning of this year, 2026, I suggested to myself without enforcement, argument, or stubbornness that I would read more nonfiction books.

So far, I’ve been doing well following my own suggestion.

I’ve a long list across various topics. 

It’s good for the brain to switch activities and also books, isn’t it? 

But I haven’t abandoned fiction completely. I read a few pages every day from a story in a different genre: Japanese fiction.

By the way, nonfiction isn’t that boring if you’re interested in the topic.

It may need more time and concentration.

But the good news is that you’re not obliged to read it from cover to cover.

Sometimes a nonfiction book is a collection of different essays, topics, or even categories.

You read the ones most related to your interest, and skip the others.

Well… that’s my strategy.

I reckon nonfiction authors expect this from readers. 

Some of them even mention in their introduction that you, as a reader, may skip the parts you’re not interested in.

So far reading nonfiction sounds good.

But just a tiny problem to consider:

there’s no room for imagination in nonfiction.

And that’s why I always keep a fiction book at hand.

Nonfiction can teach us science, literature, philosophy, history … 

but fiction can teach us all of that in one imaginative story. 

It’s in nonfictions that we learn about history, and in fiction that we see it.

By the way, do you think villains read history?

Perhaps they don’t, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many of them.

With reading thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Why I Can’t Write

nhpureandsimple

Because I don’t have ideas.

That’s probably the first logical answer.

Or perhaps because I don’t have time.

That also makes sense.

Or…

You may say it’s because I have so many ideas, but can use none.

Have you ever struggled with this last problem?

I have.

Over the last few days, whenever I decided to write down something, another idea would pop into my head and start fighting with the first.

Before I could put an end to the fight, a third idea came from here and there and interfered.

As I was wondering whether this interference made any sense, a fourth idea pushed its way into the crowd.

I gave up and returned to my book.

Sometimes you have so many ideas that you end up writing nothing.

But sometimes… this very chaos is exactly what we need to write about.

By the way, this applies to life too.

When everything feels chaotic, a mess, and out of control, 

that’s the very moment when solutions, changes, and opportunities begin to appear.

The birds sing after the storm.

People come out and walk, steady and free.

And writers watch all of that and think,

That’s the time to write.

For sure.

With chaotic and quiet thoughts, 

Nahla

Just writing

Pets, please understand

nhpureandsimple

If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

We—humans both love and envy you.

You can see things we can’t see.

You can hear things we can’t hear.

You can smell things before we even do.

You’re born to run out and about—free.

You’re born to fly and soar high.

You’re born to dive and swim deep, deep, deep in dark seas, rivers, and oceans.

You’re satisfied with the way you are; your look, your shape, and your size.

You’re happy wherever you live; 

a nest, a hole, a cave, a shell, or a tree.

You don’t mind— never mind.

You know what to eat and when to eat.

You’re funny, unexpected, and loyal.

You love life, clinging to its last moment, 

but you live it instead of thinking too much about it.

And… we learn from you.

Yes, we humans, with our superior, complex brains learn from you—our dear pets.

With humans-and-pets thoughts,

Nahla 

 

Just writing

Let’s Pretend…

nhpureandsimple

This let’s pretend is all about close your eyes and dream.

Well… not closing your eyes and dozing off, but turning on the light to imagination, to hope, and perhaps even to happiness.

Children are the best at make- believe.

They use let’s pretend to dream about the future, about their growing-up lives.

They play this let’s pretend game to have fun.

They cling to this let’s pretend as a shield to avoid and escape punishment.

Writers make-believe too.

Their let’s pretend characters become full of life on the page. 

Their let’s pretend thoughts turn into words a reader can hold. 

And their let’s pretend world becomes real in imagination.

Pause…

This was how I began this post last night with this idea which I borrowed from a non-fiction book about creativity and IQ tests. By the way, do we really need all the fuss around them?

I don’t think so.

Now, back to the main idea.

Instead of going back to finish my post, I decided to complete Dostoevsky’s Poor People. 

I did finish it, but that wasn’t a good idea. 

Because I abandoned the post and slipped straight into reviewing the book. 

But the idea of let’s pretend started nagging me, buzzing into my head, with a single plea; 

Please let’s pretend you didn’t read the book.

Please finish the post.

I tried.

But, I couldn’t.

The book seemed to cut the flow of my post thoughts with its hopeless narrative.

It’s understandable how the story reflected the miserable and hard life the author experienced during the time he was writing it. 

But still, I found myself wondering; why he didn’t play this let’s pretend game, just once, to make- believe some hope in the miserable story? 

Honestly, I don’t know.

But at least I made it — and finished this post.

 

With let’s–pretend–happy thoughts, 

Nahla

Just writing

Hey World!

nhpureandsimple

In case you, just like me, are shocked and disappointed by what’s happening around the world, here are some of my philosophical musings, not on politics, but on gambling.

Now… before making any assumptions, this post is inspired by Dostoevsky’s The Gambler which I’ve finished reading.

You know what? 

A popular Arabic saying goes: Take the wisdom from the mouths of the insane.

You may wonder how.

Wisdom and insanity do not match, together they make no sense.

You’re right. 

But… who says that the insane are wise, or that wisdom can be taught to the insane? 

It’s not about knowledge or experience.

It’s about special gifts.

It’s an advice not to belittle anyone’s abilities, even if they were insane.

Back to the Gambler: the book was clearly written by a gambler with a warning as bright as sunlight in a clear sky. It seems to shout: avoid gambling, never try it, and flee from it.

Isn’t the gambler just another insane person born with a functioning brain, yet destroying it for the sake of gambling obsession? 

The story echoes that old saying, with a bit of alteration.

It seems to urge readers; take the wisdom, and learn the lesson from the gambler’s tale.

But not every insane is gifted, 

and not every gambler is repentant either.

With sound thoughts,

Nahla