daily prompt

Influential

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Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

You know that the most important aspect about the word ” influential” is the nature of the influence not the term itself. In other words, your most influential teacher is not necessarily the one who makes a good impression on students, nor should s/he be a good person.

I was in year seven when a new teacher introduced herself to my class as our English teacher. She was beautiful, chic, and clever. Since then, I loved my English lessons  and did my best to be one of the best in my class. However, there was a significant issue which, despite my young age, I couldn’t overlook. She was unfair and she was one of those compliments seekers.

One day, when she was collecting our English  homework, I told her I couldn’t do mine because I had joined the school trip with some students in my class the day before.  She told me I had to be punished. I told her that it was my first time not to hand in my homework on time. She insisted on the punishment. I was punished. I wept from all of my heart when my friend, sitting next to me, was forgiven. My friend joined the same trip and couldn’t do her homework either. But, my friend was a good compliment giver. Unfair, I said in my head and hated my teacher.

But you know what? Years later I earned a degree in English language from one of the first and most prestigious universities in Egypt. And a year later, I married and moved to live in the UK. And, later on,  I started my journey for postgraduate studies.

My teacher may have not been a good example, but I am certain that she was one of the hidden forces that pushed me to study English more and better. Did  I know that I would need English that much later on in my life? Absolutely not. That was God’s plan and my teacher played a significant role in it. 

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Can it be do less?

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What do you wish you could do more every day?

You know it’s useless. You know it’s too much. You know most of it is fake. Still, you spend more than enough time on social media. Thank God, it’s mainly Instgram that I browse every now and then. Yet, when I do, time slips away like water and of course you can’t get it back. I am still in control, but I really wish to spend less and less time on it.

As for the thing I wish to do more everyday; it is walking. I do some walking everyday but, with other commitments, I can’t do enough.

Walking is not merely an excerise but it also a wonderful opportunity to contemplate, breathe, and enjoy your surroundings. And, good company makes long-distance walks even more enjoyable and entertaining.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

daily prompt

Tattoo in a story

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What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

This prompt reminds me of a true story that you might find either funny or serious.

One day, I was scrolling through Instagram posts when I came across a post from a converted Muslim talking about the tattoo on his arm. Apparently, that wasn’t the first time he explained this issue to some Muslims who have been critcizing him for having tattoo.

The man explained that he was an atheist, raised in an atheist family, and his uncle’s was tattooist. That’s how he got the tattoos on his arm. After converting to Islam, he wanted to remove them, but he was told that the process would be both painful and so expensive. That’s why he still has them. If only they had been made of something like henna, it would have faded away after all the ablutions he’s been performing following his conversion to Islam.

My knowledge about tattoo is limited, but from what I’ve heard and read, I understand that its harms outweigh its benefits (if it has really any). That’s why some Muslims believe it’s forbidden to put any.

And don’t you agree that there’s nothing more beautiful than your clean natural look.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

One word!

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What is one word that describes you?

I don’t know if you would agree with me, but I think that, upon reading this prompt, we will mainly and mostly think of the pleasant compliments we like to receive from others.

That’s natural since, in most cases, we focus mainly of our good qualities and overlook the bad ones. Actually we have to, otherwise we will hate ourselves though we should only hate our bad side. That’s why, for example, a miser would describe him/ her self as a frugal, a cheater as resourceful, a liar as a tactful, a busybody as  altruistic ….

Now, back to the main point which is the one word that describes me. I am a learner. In most cases I like to be a self-learner. That’s why I love reading and writing. 

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

The best compliment!

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What was the best compliment you’ve received?

You’re right.

That’s the best compliment I’ve received and would always like to receive. Please, don’t think that’s because I like to show off or to belittle anyone else. No, that’s not me.

Simply, I receive the ” you’re right” complement, neither in an argument nor a fight. So, there’s no chance I’m thinking of any gain or loss. It’s usually said unexpectedly and spontaneously after I gave a comment or an explanation to something.

It’s worth adding that I like it the most from my children. When any of them surpises me with; “Yes, mama you were right.” Sometimes this compliment came after days of me telling them something. But then, I feel over the moon. I feel as if I have reached the summit of highest mountain.

Nowadays, it’s not always common for your children to agree with your views. Is it?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

One day

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You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?

I would love to go on such an adventure one day. Isn’t it wonderful to go to different places, meet different people, and experience life in different environments?

And you know what? I believe on such a trip I would definitely experience some of the most funniest moments in my life. I’m also sure that I’ll enjoy good company.

Do you know why?  Because, in most cases, people make good company and try to be their best in two occasions: first when they meet for the first time, and second when they need each other.

As for how to go on the trip? I can imagine that leaving my place, and travel across all of those vast lands, within a limited time, for sure the trip should have some fixed dates,  I believe it’d be wise to use all the possible options.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

None

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Who is the most confident person you know?

I have to take my time to think about this one beause everyone I know, close to me or not, including myself, can be so confident in something but hesitant and unsure in others. I believe that’s normal. We all have own personalities, our own strenth and weakness, and our best and worst moments.  If we thought that someone could be confident in everything all the times, we would be laughing at ourselves.

For example, I write and share my thoughts here, but if we were discussing this in a  face to face  conversation or gathering, I would prefer listening than speaking. On the opposite, there are others who would not be as confident in expressing themselves in writing as in speaking. See, how in this context and in response to this question, we both show confidence in distinct ways.

A prime minister, a president, that famous celebrity, …. with all their good preparations, brilliance, eloquecy, … when thrown an unexpected question they will turn all pale, stammer, or lose their temper. Why? How? But, it does happen!

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Pray

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What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?

Sometimes we can’t help having some negative feelings every now and then. Worry, fear, and hate, I think are the most common negative feelings in our life.

We worry about our children. We fear the onset of illness. We hate others who hurt or betray us. But what’s worse than these three is when we feel abandoned. Lonely. And, that’s when prayer come to the rescue.

When we pray we hand all our negative feelings and thoughts over to God. The heaviness and darkness that filled us will not merely be lessened but fully removed. Believe me; praying is healing.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Reverie

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What activities do you lose yourself in?

Whatever the thing you like, you will lose yourself in it. A book, a song, a recipe, a sport, a picture, a movie, …. . You’re losing youself because that thing makes you feel better, makes you happy, and, in some cases, makes you be yourself.

Do you know that some people lose themselves in talking. Oh, yes, some have the ability to talk nonstop. They lose themselves and others, and even if you interrupt, they don’t intentinally ignore you but just could not hear other voices.

But, that question also reminds me of my daughter a year or two ago when she found it hard to fell asleep. My advice was to think of pleasant thoughts. Lose yourself in reverie, I told her. Reverie is like a pause that can block unpleasant things and open a winow for pleasant ones, and that’s all free and for just a few seconds.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Five times!

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What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

Could that be only me? But, would you really watch a movie or a TV series five times or more? I think that’s too much. Wouldn’t that be like watching everydays news that are useless to both your brain and your life!

It’s a great fun when a family snuggle together to watch a movie. Something funny, interesting, or even creepy as long as it suits them all, would make a good family time.

To be honest, if it wasn’t for my children, I wouldn’t have watched most of the movies I did. And, three times is the maximum number we watched any. And to be even more honest, if there ever is a third time, we become uninterested and one by one slip away from the gathering.

Perhaps, being a full time mother, trying ber best to find time for her own hoppies, watching movies  more than once is too much for me.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla