Category: Just writing

Just writing

The Lark

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That little, talented bird with a beautiful voice that is music itself. I’m not sure I have seen one before, but I imagine he must be among those nesting in the nearby trees. 

Well … why did he crossed my mind today? 

Simply because of the book I have just finished. The Song of the Lark, which, by the way is not about the bird species. 

Can you  guess what it symbolises in the story?

It’s not hard to guess for birds, in most cases, symbolise freedom and ambition.

There’s a poem about this bird, but I haven’t read it yet. Perhaps another time. 

Away from the book and the poem, doesn’t the bird, with its unique name, feel like a musical poem? Full of energy and happiness? Beside it’s a migratory creature with an adventurous spirit. 

Watch out for him in the morning, for he’s the friend of light and the colourful kite dancing in the blue sky. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Praise

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Praise!

Isn’t it such an elegant word with supreme qualities?

Isn’t it special given to the special? 

But praise is not for everyone or everything. Even your beloved ones cannot receive your full praise because they are humans and humans are … human. So, the first and foremost praise is always given to the Almighty. And how simple, pure, and beautiful it becomes when offered from the heart.

We humans love praise, but things may get out of control or even become abnormal.

Starting with ourselves, don’t you entrain yourself with a little praise now and then. Well.. I do, of course, not in public but … quietly, mostly to myself, and sometimes with my family. They usually laugh, but then admit it’s a good tactic for loving yourself. 

But when your self-praise begins to puff up with conceit, you cross the limits and enter the dangerous phase of greatness insanity. So, be careful.

Then there are your beloved ones. Out of love and most of the time, you see them, or what they are doing as worthy of praise. How true and funny is this Arabic saying: the mirror of love is always blind. 

But can you praise someone even if you don’t like them? I think that’s how we prove to ourselves that we play fair. For example, you might praise someone for their beauty, intelligence, etc, even if you cringe every time you see or hear about them, as if you were eating a sour lime. (By the way my mouth’s already watering for I used to eat limes like oranges.) But that’s fine, because you’re being sincere to them and to yourself.

Now, what about praising someone you don’t like for qualities they don’t have? That’s nothing but hypocrisy. Unfortunately hypocrites deform and misuse the very connotations of praise. They grow and spread like weeds, showering those who deserve nothing, everything. Ironically, they themselves would never trust any praise. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

I Love Octobers

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This is Ann Shirley’s famous quote. 

But, I love Octobers too. 

Octobers are special, colourful, and definitely cold.

Their days grow shorter, and their nights stretch long.

And you sleep more.

You sneak into bed by eight pm, and hiding under the covers until seven am.

Their meals are another story.

For of course, you eat more.

Roasts, soups, cakes, and pies.

And from now on your hands always hold a hot drink.

Tea, coffee, and herbs—all steaming with the scent of October.

This tenth month on the calendar, doesn’t it remind you of something? 

Just look back and scan the months behind you, and see how far you’ve come and how many chances still await to receive and cherish before the end of the year.

If you could think of seven positive words to boost your energy at the beginning of this first cold month on the calendar, what would they be?

Can you use only the letters of  OCTOBER, please? 

Here’s my humble contribution: 

Opportunities — They always exist, so never say never.

Creativity— Isn’t that what makes things more beautiful?

Thankfulness— Remember, there are others who can’t enjoy things as you do.

Originality— Nothing can beat it.

Blessings— They are abundant; just count them.

Enthusiasm—That’s the first push to make a good start every day.

Rejoice— Happiness is a choice.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

I Know That I Know Nothing

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Have ever studied Socrates and Plato? 

I have, but that was many, many years ago in my senior school days. Honestly, I barely remember anything from my philosophy and logic classes save the names of these two famous philosophers. And, I do remember my teacher; she had such a sharp look and loud voice, which made no logical sense in a philosophy class. 

This quote crossed my path today and stirred some old memories.  

I don’t think I have shared anything before about my decision to join the humanities section for my final high school exams. Have I? 

Back then, my teachers, surprised by my decision, told me I was choosing the easy path because I was doing well in sciences. But, simply put, and with a bit of alteration to Socrate’s quote: I know that I know what I wanted to study. 

I could have followed most of my friends and joined the sciences section, but I didn’t share their dreams. Most of my school friends had their eyes and minds set on becoming doctors or engineers. Yes, those were the high aspirations for my generation, wrapped in glimmering prestige and the promise of steady, respected status. 

But I loved languages and literature. I didn’t bother so much about geography and history. I found philosophy and logic intriguing. Years later, I can see how I made the right decision. But that’s the story for another time.

Now back to Mr Socrates’ quote. Of course the great philosopher wasn’t talking about life choices. He didn’t mean to encourage us to go astray under the “don’t know” banner. Nor did he mean this casual “I don’t know” that children nowadays use as an easy reply for any question. The poor man might have abandoned philosophy altogether if one of his students had given him that “I don’t know” answer.

Simply, he meant that the more you learn and know, the more you realise there are still other things you haven’t heard of. 

In other words, be humble, be curious, and be ever learning.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Please Bear With Me

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Starting today, please don’t be surprised if I like and dislike your post at the same time. Or if you catch me me follow a conversation I have no idea how and when I get into. Or if I subscribe and then unsubscribe to your blog. 

Oh my … I am pretty sure things like that have happened before, but honestly that’s mainly because of a lagging internet connection or a frozen screen. If this happens today or tomorrow, or even already did, my sincere apologies!

So starting now, hopefully for just a few days, I might be a bit clumsy because I am using a new device. Every time I switch to a new one, funny things happen. Sometimes I wish I had kept the old one as there was no thing wrong with it. But my sons want to get me a special gift for my special day, and here I am using it. It’s actually great, but my brain needs time to befriend it. 

You know the most annoying thing right now? It is Jetpack app. I can’t find the Reader icon as I used to on the other device. So I’ve switched to using WordPress in the browser, and I’m trying to navigate my way through it.

Hopefully things will get better soon.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Birds’ Simple Dream

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Blue
And
Sky
And
Rain
And
Wind

And Birds fly, soaring high,
into the blue, rainy, windy sky.

They know no fear.
They know they were created to spread their wings,
to sail without ships across the vast, open sky.

And… they know how to live… Free.
How to build a simple nest, hidden in a tree.

By sunset, they whisper their own prayers,
close their tiny eyes,
and fall asleep in peace.

They know no big dreams —
only that tomorrow
with its blue, rainy, and windy sky,
will always be a new day.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

All Sorts of Weather

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September is a dear, special visitor who brings all sorts of weather in a beautiful gift box. And come rain or shine, its visit is always welcome, always endearing.

Today, for example, is windy, sunny, and a bit chilly, with refreshing drizzles expected later on. But no one huffs or puffs. No one is lazy. No one hides. Why? Because it’s September, bringing gentle vibes at the dawn of autumn.

Do you know what the big dilemma in September is?

It’s something we set aside during summer and bring out in winter!

Can you guess?

I think you got it right.

It’s the coat.

Shall I put it on?
No, it’s warm.
Yes, it’s grey and humid.
No need, I’ll be back before it starts pouring.
But it’s already pouring.
This coat is useless.
This one is too heavy.
Grab it.
Leave it.
Why did I take it?
I should have taken it.

This becomes a significant part of my family daily conversation before stepping out of the house throughout September.

But, doesn’t it add a bit of change and fun?

At least, you have the option and the full responsibility for all its consequences.



With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Joy and Blogging

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Blogging is really fun. Well… that’s how I see it.

Imagine writing with no obligations, no deadlines, and no pressure. Just you, your thoughts, your imagination, and your piece of writing.

And … it’s also another way to hear others and be heard. Some voices are loud, some whisper. Some are bold, some shy. Some dramatic, some romantic. Some informative, some subjective. Isn’t that beautiful?

How interesting it is that, within this big collection of voices, you, in most cases, don’t know and would never expect to cross paths with another blogger. It’s even more interesting that you may have nothing in common. Your origins, cultures, religions, beliefs, and even your mothertongues might be totally different. The only thing that brought you together is blogging, which may also be for different reasons.

Isn’t it a joy to find peace in writing?
Of course it is.

No wonder some people say that writing is a simple, soothing remedy for mental and emotional well-being. Perhaps it’s because the paper, or the screen you’re tapping on, just listens. It waits patiently until you finish your piece with no interruptions, no complications. Perhaps it’s because you can express yourself, your feelings, and your thoughts more freely in writing than speaking. Or maybe… it’s simply because you love the feeling of being a writer.

And finally, there’s a joy in reading others’ thoughts which can make you smile, laugh, cry, or even teach you something new … and maybe even different.

Keep writing with joy!


With hope and peace,

Nahla






Just writing

Don’t Follow This Reading Strategy

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I’m currently reading one of Henry James’ books. As usual, I knew about the book while reading something else. I read its description on Goodreads and decided to give it a go. The story is simple, and the characters are few and not complex.

Things seem good so far, right?

No, it isn’t.

I started reading the book last month, and I’m not even halfway through. Perhaps I picked it up at the wrong time. I mean, it’s the summer holiday, with so much going on. But no, that’s not why it’s taking me so long to finish.

The prose is my main problem. I can’t enjoy reading it. Whenever I reach an interesting part, the author starts analysing and exploring another point. Still, I keep reading, hoping the book might surprise me… or I’ll finally give myself permission to stop.

So far, nothing has happened, and that’s why I advise you not to follow my reading strategy because it’s just stubborn.

I usually read at night but this book makes me yawn, and my eyes grow tired  before bedtime. I decided to speed up the process by reading during the day, but my patience wore thin. There’s always other chores to do, and reading this book will be the hardest. I tried the audiobook, but my mind kept wandering to many things except the book. And then, I thought: maybe it would be better to make some change. So I picked up another book, hoping to return to the first one with fresh eyes and some interest.

As I was searching for another non-fiction book, I came across a medical one titled Love Your Disease. Have you read it? It’s a bit like “love your enemy,” but is that even possible?

By the way, it is not totally medical with scientific terms and theories. It’s quite readable, with real-life experiences shared by a doctor about his patients. But since it’s not fictional, and I am not a physician, I feel I can neither accept nor discuss the book. In short, after skipping so many parts, I decided to stop reading it.

So, I’m back to James Herny. No, it’s Henry James. And, I’m just as determined to finish the book as I am to never read another by the this author.


With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Switching Reading Genres

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It’s a good idea to switch up your favourite reading genre every now and then, isn’t it?
Well… I think so.

Take me, for example —I enjoy fiction, mostly classics. But sometimes, I feel … not bored, but craving something different. It’s kind of like craving dessert after a heavy meal.

Over the last week, as I was reading one of Henry James’ books at a turtle’s pace, I decided to browse a book on home remedies. It turned out to be both interesting and funny.

It was interesting because the book offers simple, useful remedies that might make you think twice before rushing to see the doctor. And, it was funny because, sometimes, it includes folk remedies that are pure superstiton. Honestly, I don’t read it cover to cover… just pick some topics about common ailments.

One of the most interesting points these books both explain and emphasise is Hope. As I read, I can feel how their natural remedies reflect the idea that every illness has a remedy—the very thing I deeply believe in.

Here’s a quote about the exact point:

“For every ill beneath the sun
There is some remedy or none,
If there be one, resolve to find it;
If not, submit, and never mind it.”

Now, what do you do when you have a hiccup?
Here are two simple remedies:

“Think of your lover. If he loves you, you will not have it anymore.”

And in case he doesn’t, you can recite this old English verse:

“Hickup, snickup, stand up, straight up,
One drop, two drops—good for the hick-up.”

That last one gave my daughter and me hiccups as we burst into laughing when I told her about it!


With hope and peace,

Nahla