daily prompt

We’re humans

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Are you superstitious?

Superstitious! It’s interesting to read and hear about superuptions. Actually, I think it’s a bit fun. There are loads of them in Arabic culture.

For example, if something suddenly broke, say you dropped a glass or a plate, we say that’s no problem for such a simple damage had protected us from an evil eye. Or when we see an army of ants marching into the house, we belive that’s envy, someone is envious at so and so. And if you forgot to take the coffee pot off the heat just before it boiled over, we say that’s a good omen.

These are but a few examples and when I think about them, I can’t overlook the connection between what we were thinking about and what was happening at the same time. In other words, if the object we saw or come across is bad, awful, scary, …. then only bad thoughts, and those people we dislike will popped into our heads. On the opposite, if we like what suddenly crossed our path, say a butterfly or white pigeon, that will give us good thoughts and brighten our mood.

We’re humans, and I believe it’s natural to make these connotations, but it’ll be unrealistic if we let superstitions be in charge of our life.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

A slight change

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Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

Can we make a slight change to this question because I’m really wondering whether an animal would like to be compared to a human?

Animals look happy and content in their world.  Have you ever heard of an animal turning into a human being? Of course in fiction and myths everything is possible but in real life I believe it’s impossible. A leopard won’t change its spots. Cats won’t like water. A fish won’t live without water. Any four-legged animal will only walk bidedally when it’s been forced and harshly trained to do so.

We watch animals and we learn a lot from them. Why, we are using them to describe either our  good or bad traits; we say as loyal as a dog, stubborn as  a donkey, slow as a snail, fast as a cheeta, …..

A person can have as many traits of animals but an animal won’t do the same.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

My dear old me

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Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.

Are you already a hundred years old? What an achievement! Hope you’re doing well, both physically and sychologicially. You know that your parents, grandparents and great grandparents had barely managed to reach their seventy five. But, according to what I had seen and heard, they had been acting as if they were a hundred. Pray tell me you are in good form and shape.

Sure, you still remember that madness about beauty standards and cosmetic surgeries which are developing every second these days They’ve been blowing the brains of both men and women for a while. Do you still remember when you used to laugh at how some women are looking all the same. You, then said, one day husbands and wives will be confused, unable to spot their partners among the crowd of similar faces. Hopefully, you’re smiling now while saying no; the number of people who giving up this madness are on rise.

What about smart technologies and artificial intelligence? Are people giving up these things too or things are becoming worse. Please, do not say robots are everywhere. Hopefully, you’re smiling again and say; no, humans are in control and they’re moving, working, and using their own hands and brains.

Don’t forget to send my prayers and love to my children and my grandchildren,

Love you my dear old me,

Be safe,

Be always content,

With the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Browsing

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Where would you go on a shopping spree?

The first thing that crossed my mind when i read “shopping” is to browse.

It’s fun to browse through things in a store or online, and it’s really beneficial since, in most cases,  you’ll end up buying nothing. To be browser can help in many ways;  first to satisfy your passion for shopping. second to economise, and third to brighten your mood. You can add more to these advantages if you like. However, sometimes, a browser turns into a buyer, a greedy one, and that’s when you fall into the trap of trying things especially for free or when you’re merely copying others.

I’m doing my best to work on this go only browsing strategy when I don’t really need to buy things.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Fictional characters

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What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?

In stories, the name of every character is carefully picked according to things related to the role, the image, the place, the time …. they are representing.  Sometimes, we as readers overlooked this issue. We read and follow the sequence of the events and the development of the plot. But, I have learnt that writers do pay careful attention and time to the names of each character and they usually have a certain  significance.

In real life our names also have a significance, a meaning that in some cases match our own personalities. In arabic culture, people say  everyone has some share of the meaning of his/ her name.

That’s why I find it a bit confusing to have a middle name as the person, in most cases, will be called and known by just one. The other name will be left aside and known mainly in official documents.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

A proverb

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What is the last thing you learned?

No one is a prophet is his own land!

It is not that I don’t know the meaning of it but when my eyes fell on this proverb in one of the books, it was the beauty of the wording and the accuracy of its meaning hat I’ve recently come to learn.

By the way there this proverb has an equalivat in Arabic. It says; The light falls only on the strangers.

In both versions, the meaning is the same.

Haven’t you ever felt that you are more appreciated and honored elsewhere than in your commonplace?

I did.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

No, not that!

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What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.

Honestly,  it is not how old are you? Because 23 + is the simplest and more convient answer unless you’re been asked for specific reasons  Besides that won’t be a lie!

But there are questions that are so annoying, so inquisitive. These are mostly with HOW Much?

How much do you earn? How much do you pay for this or that?

Although I don’t hate these sort of questions as questions been simply asked as inquiries because that would not been considered rude. What I hate is when the person knows already the answer and asks to test your reliability. Or, when the person is asking to make you regret paying that sum whether it is  little or big. Or, when the person is such a telltale or a gossip whose job is spreading the news of others lives.

Is that not hateful?

With the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Believe me…

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How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?

Things that go opposite to our expectations, dreams, and  hard work should not be seen as a failure. It’s a redirection.

We will weep, scream, hate , curse …  . Why me? That’s unfair!  But,  one day we will understand  how we’ve been saved and guided. One day when we look back over past years, we’ll understand how that all was a redirection and we’ve succeded in a different way, making different things.

What we really need to do is that after our every explosive reaction to that hateful news of failure is to not give up,  to not freeze at that spot. One gate is closed, but others will be opened.

And, one more thing, be honest to yourself for, perhaps, you are the main cause of the failure.

That’s how I’ve learned to see things and keep going after every redirection in my life.

By the way, is success merely admitted by gaining a certificate, a position, fortune, fame…. I don’t think so.

God knows the best,

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

On a deserted Island

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What are three objects you couldn’t live without?

Three objects!

That reminds me of  a question  that I think was discussed in one of my science classes  many years ago. We were asked to pick the most essential items that would be mostly needed by a man on a deserted island and to explain why. You propaly  have solved one of these riddles on  your smart phones app games these days. Mainly material objects were suggested in our lesson;  things like a knife, a flashlight, box of matches, a water container, and other simple things and we, the students, were excited to prove which of the them would be the most helpful and the right choice.

However, asking me now the same question, I  would say that there are far more important things that those simple ones I had been learned to focus on at school. The things that I belive one would need both on a desered island and in crowded city.

There’s the will to survive. Without this will, all other things are useless. Without this will one won’t be able to adapt to the new environoment. But, I also believe that to stengthen this will, one should have a Faith. When you have faith, you’ll never feel deserted. You can add any other things after these two.

As for me, I believe it’s laughter.  Some people say, a good laughter could increase the number of your days on this earth.

Faith, the will to survive, and laughter. A simple recipe to live with!

With all the best wishes,

Nahla