Just writing

It’s just a swing!

nhpureandsimple

These days my daughter wanted to go the park just to get on the swing and push herself without any help.

 

 

But if it is a nice warm day, there definitely will be a queue of children waiting to have their turns.

 

Would she change her mind and think about another game?
The answer is No.

 

She is happy because at last she can go on the swing all by herself.

 

We waited behind two boys, one of them already got bored and left.

 

The boy who was already having his turn on the swing was just stretching his legs, touching the ground with his feet and giving sneaky half smile to the others waiting for the moment when he decided to leave!

 

 

We waited and waited but then it was too much. The other boy got closer and closer to the swing until the one on the swing understood that he played enough and it’s time to leave.
At last he was off!
How would you expect the other boy would do when taking his turn?
He did exactly the same as the first kid!
He started playing and his mother, standing behind, was pushing him. Then he was just sitting, looking at us! I smiled and asked him: have you finished? He said: No, I just wanted to put on my jacket. In a slow motion scene, he was taking his time putting on his jacket and not to forget to zip it fully up in such a warm day!
We waited and waited besides the waiting time before. My back was aching and i started getting angry; praying to keep patient and stay calm! I tried to distract my daughter saying; look at those beautiful birds and colourful kites! Did he miss that moment to add more time to his fun? Of course, No! He slowed the swing down asking his mother to look at what suddenly appeared to be amazing birds flying in the sky!
I looked at his mother but she turned her face to the other side!
My daughter was upset and I told her it was her choice to wait and to get on that swing. I asked her again If she wanted to try another game? But she again said NO
A mother saw what was happening, hold another swing next to her daughter’s as soon as it was free for my daughter to have a turn!
As soon as my daughter was playing on the other swing, the boy’s mother left him and soon he left it.

 
I left my daughter to enjoy her turn but told her to remember not to be long because others would like to have a turn too.

 
I sat a bit far watching her. Soon another girl came and waited next to my daughter’s swing. She had not been playing that long but she decided to go off for her.
I was very proud of her!
After having her little snack, she decided to have another go and waited for a new turn. Unsurprisingly she was rewarded by the same kindness, she got a turn and no other children was around waiting. She played joyfully and I was very happy for her.
Although I felt angry at the first two boys’ ( and their patents) behaviour and thought that they were very annoying, but I also realised that may be my daughter would have done the same or she would not have learned to think about others waiting if this had not happened!

 

I also remembered when we were once living in the university accommodation and the many times my boys were noisy and careless with their little friends having fun playing along the corridors while others might have been studying or sleeping. When we apologized to our neighbors, they would kindly say: it’s ok, this is a family accommodation and they are just kids!
Yes; they are kids and it’s just a swing!

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

A Lesson from Penguins!

nhpureandsimple

During our visit to the zoo this summer, we could not wait to see those beautiful penguins and were looking forward to watching them having fun in their water pool.

But I really did not enjoy the scene there; it was a very hot day! The penguins were suffering from the heat and looking very miserable and exhausted! They either laid down completely motionless or were standstill with fully opened mouth doing their best to survive the heat!

I wondered what kind of entertainment is that! I really felt sorry for them and wished we had not stopped at their pool!

My daughter did not recognize them.

I said: “ look! These are the penguins!” but she said: “ No they are not!” and kept looking for the cute Antarctic penguins similar to those ones seen on TV.

But while writing this post, I decided to check if all penguins live in cold climate? I found out that the answer is “No”. This means that those penguins probably might not have been suffering much that day!

It’s not only because of my poor knowledge about different species of penguins that I believe they were going to die that day, but I also did not read their identification sign!

And why did not I read it?

Because I know they are Penguins!

But this was not enough!

This was why I saw them miserable though they might not be!

To know better is to read and ask more and maybe watching carefully to enjoy the scene!

A good lesson this summer!


Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

kite flying day

nhpureandsimple

I am not good at taking pictures, do not have a professional camera and have never thought of being a photographer! 

Surprisingly I started a new habit to look at any surroundings and take some photos ( using my phone camera) ! 

The reason behind this change is that I really admired how other bloggers have been using their cameras to capture beautiful pictures! 

Now I do not just appreciate how we are surrounded by beautiful nature, things, and colours, but also think that it would be very impressive to share them with others.  

Hence, I decided to share these photos taken by my phone camera. 

These kites, in a wonderful sunny, a bit windy and cloudy day, entertained and really made the day for everyone especially children! 

Hope these photos would make you smile and add some fun to your day too!

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

No internet Zone

nhpureandsimple

On Sunday, it was sunny and we decided to have a day out at one of beaches here in the UK.

The best thing is that our day was without INTERNET!

My husband’s mobile, which is usually our source for sharing data, was broken down, my teens got limited internet (usually ran out of data) My phone has also limited data and finally no I Pad for my little daughter!

We stopped by the fair where my daughter had a go on some rides. Since the games are not suitable for their age, her brothers started grumbling: “ when is she going to finish?

Soon we were on the sandy beach! Still sunny but colder than expected

But where was the sea?

The water was so far away; it was a very low tide!

“No water fun and cold weather” my sons complained!

But my daughter ran to explore and we after her while my husband offered to take care of our stuff at a nice quiet spot,  but, probably, he wanted to grab a long nap!

“Bored” my sons said and complained: when would we go home?

“Happy and excited ” was my daughter saying: I do not want to go home?

I was happy; totally happy!

“ Let’s dig a big hole”, I suggested!

It was fun as my daughter decided to jump over it. She ran as far as she could but instead of jumping over, she fell in. We all laughed!

We collected shells and threw stones!

Simple free games!

Few hours passed without internet kept us close again even if we did not do that much!

Internet is wonderful invention!

But is it not better to have your family around in No Internet Zone?

What do you think?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Do you know what is right?

nhpureandsimple

Why choosing the wrong?

We are humans.
Humans are not perfect.
Humans do mistakes.
Therefore humans are supposed to do mistakes,
to learn from them and do their best to be better.

This is a logical thinking!

Sometimes we do the wrong because we do not know what is right or we do not bother asking  about the right thing? This can be the case of a mother who starts giving her kid unsuitable food, at an early age, thinking that she is helping him/her grow up quicker and healthier than others. It is not until the symptoms of her baby’s illness become obvious that she realises her mistake  and then runs to see the doctor. Then, she would admit that she was  wrong and if she was wise and sane enough she would not follow the same course of thinking.

This is a mistake!

However, what about you know that this is wrong and you choose it?
There is always a student who cheats at his/her exams instead of studying hard, a witness who gives a false testimony instead of telling the truth, a shopkeeper who sells an out of date food instead of keeping  them away, etc…..
Can these also be mistakes though with full intention and understanding of doing a wrong deed?

What I am totally sure of is that if even we choose doing what is wrong, we will receive indirect reminders or warning messages about how far we are going downward or towards the wrong direction. This can be a direct punishment; e.g the student’s exam papers are marked down and he got a fail. Or an indirect one, for his cheating might not be discovered but he might have an accident on his way back which he would soon links to his wrong deed!
The reminder or the message might come late, but it would surely come.
Some people may call this karma and i believe it is a message from God to awaken our conscience and see our response. We are totally responsible for our own deeds and if you believe in the day of resurrection, you would also believe that we will be as asked about them.

One day my friend told me that she and her son went to have lunch in, though a very nice fish and ships restaurant, but not that expensive. She intended to be smart and parked her car in a free parking space for a leisure park customers. The restaurant was not inside the leisure park and she knew she was doing wrong but “how would they know?” She thought. When coming back, she was fined for illegal parking! She admitted that their lunch on that day was the most expensive one in her life. Then she told her son that this was a lesson for both of them if you what is right why choosing the wrong?

What if she was not fined, I think she would follow her smart thinking till another disaster happened!

Is it not better that she got this message early and learned the lesson?

I have lots of other real stories happened to me as well as others I know that would fill a book. These stories would help us understand and listen to those early warnings before we get used to what is wrong till we believe it is right. But then we will be lost.

I think the message of one is sufficient.

Will we do what is wrong again? Will we keep our conscience fast asleep and ignore the divine message?

I wish we all would listen to our conscience and understand God’s reminding messages!

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

It’s Friday

nhpureandsimple

Today is Friday and it’s the summer holiday so the whole family can go to pray Jumu’ah or Friday prayer.

Today also I have been thinking about something to write but could not decide what, until I started shouting at my boys to get ready to go to the mosque. Then I said; that’s it.  It’s Friday!

I was born in Egypt and grew up there and Friday has been very special for me! On Thursdays, I was always excited and extremely happy because I had finished that long school week and my father had got at last day off from work. On Friday, we got up late, had an Egyptian family breakfast and watched our favourite TV programs. Sometimes relatives and friends came and visited us and we enjoyed having dinner together. Sometimes we visited and spent the day with family or friends.

The first thing that has been so special about Friday is Friday prayer. Friday prayer is a compulsory congregational prayer for Adult men unless they are exempted for urgent reasons; e.g illness or travelling. Women have the option either to join or not but it is better to go and share the pleasure of this prayer. And children are always welcome! Being so attached to my father, I usually joined him. I do not know and have never asked my mother why she did not think about going to the mosque when we were young. But apparently, she would say it was not for women. But it was! And I remember that women’s section in the mosque was usually full and women there had been really kind and keen to take part in this prayer.

On our way back from the mosque, we usually got some fruits to share at home. We expected the best yummy dinner and desert, all homemade, with nice smell and taste. Even poor families used to cook the best meals on Fridays.

What else were we looking for on Fridays? Of course some rest and peace. But it was not always a peaceful day! Children’s gatherings usually mean lots of troubles. We would fight, smash things “accidentally” or get upset because that was not the food we expected!

Honestly; it was not only children who would spoil the peacefulness of that day, grown-ups had their share too! Sometimes, they would argue and argue till no one would feel like talking any more. Sometimes they would turn their faces to the clock to plan their excuses for an early leave. They might also give some unpleasant comments, questions or enquiries that add more embarrassing moments during that day!

In the evening, if we were during school days, we usually started doing or finishing our loads of school homework, getting our school uniform washed and ironed and getting ready to start the new week. If it was our school holidays, we either went to play with our friends, having them over or enjoyed a family time watching a programme or a movie at home.

Nice memories!

Have a lovely weekend!

Nahla

Just writing

Pure thought

nhpureandsimple


When she was young, if she felt very upset, scared or angry, she used to keep herself in a quite place, whatever it is, a corner, a room or even pretend to be asleep, just to be away from others in what she thought was quite space just for her.

What did she do then?
She talked to God. She was not praying, but she just talked and talked and got all those annoying, angry or sad feelings outside of her head. She did not realise that any one of her family would surely be able to hear her as she actually was not whispering. Neither did she think that she might be the main cause of those feelings because she was wrong and her mother was right to say “no”!

She just have full trust in God, trusted Him listening, watching and relieving her burdens. Once, she finished, she usually felt relieved. She either forgot what the problem was, something nice happened , e.g a visit from a friend, or her parents, probably had been listening to all of her talking, would give her a hug and a kiss then they would agree to make some sort of a compromise!

She has grown up, got married and become a mother but still have the same habit. There is just a tiny difference; she is no longer that little kid who could not realise how obviously loud was her weeping and wailing. Now her talking to God is less than whispering, in fact she just looks at the sky and talks without words. And she still have the same reassuring consequences, similar to those she had experienced when she was little. These days, her children would turn up and say sorry, she would get an unexpected call from her husband during his busy working hours, she would receive good news, or would forget about the whole issue.

She does not know how she got this habit but she is totally sure that it is intuitive. What’s new is that she’s now not just practising a habit but also thinking about it and asking:

Who else would we give our fully trust? 

Who else would keep our secrets and relieve our burdens? 

Who else would we ask for help, support and comfort especially in time of distress?

Who else would we pray to grant our wishes and fulfil our plans? 

Who else could have the absolute power?

Who else would give without asking and forgive without asking? 

Is that this pure intuition of believing how the Creator is very close? 

Is that the simple belief of the heart that knows the answers before asking questions? 

Now she understands that it has not been just a childish habit but a belief that we all are born with. We can pretend to forget or just ignore until this deep belief comes out naturally when we realise how weak and miserable we are without the support of the Creator!  
P.s
She might be you or me!
Wishing you all the best,
Nahla
 

Just writing

How would you like to look like?

nhpureandsimple

 

Have you ever felt that you can hardly tell if this is the real colour of eye, hair, and skin of the person you are talking to or seeing. And unless you know them, you can not even guess their age?

Definitely, everyone has the right to choose the look that satisfy one’s physical, psychological, social, religious, … needs. And i am not saying that we, especially women, should answer the question; How Old Are You?
I have just been concerned about how beauty and cosmetic industry has been used to hide ourselves not just from others but from our own selves. Some people can no longer believe that they are beautiful unless they change their appearance. Others may feel socially inferior if they do not change their look or the opposite they may believe they are highly civilised and more confident when they change their appearance? And sometimes, others refuse to admit that they are getting old and decide to look and live young. In other words, the new marketing of beauty as a commodity, make some, if not many, people refuse to admit that beauty is not limited to shape, look and age group. There is the inner beauty that would make us look beautiful, feel young and build self-esteem!
Let’s ask; how would a person perceive herself/himself when looking at any mirror and see a totally different person; no defects, no wrinkles and facial features have been adjusted and polished. No wonder that such a person would feel 100 percent amazed, happy and wonderful. But for how long will this excitement last? And for how long will that person deny that human perfection is impossible and beauty is a relative concept? Why not thinking that having brown eye colour is as beautiful as having them green, blue, or black. And having grey hair is an indication of a new stage in life that could be as wonderful as that of a young adult or teenager.

My sister once told me about her friend who used to wear full make because she thought she was not that beautiful. Unfortunately, when she married, she had to keep this amazing beautiful look 24 hours everyday because her husband did not know how she really looked like. However, this could not last and he discovered her real image which he did know and their life turned upside down. I have no idea if they were divorced or not?

This is the same with some old people who do their best and pay fortunes to look young, though they would definitely face sarcastic jokes that would also turn their life upside down.
Looking after one’s body, keeping heathy, staying hygienic and feeling good and looking nice, by all means, are wonderful things that would keep our life going smoothly and peacefully. However, using cosmetic products to challenge, conceal and deny who and how we really are, could result in a real regret in our life.
Therefore, if you ever think about ; how would you like to look? Would you try these advices which i have been thinking for you and me;

Love how you are and think “ why?” before changing your appearance.
We have been created different but equal,
Different in colour, shape , size and age but equal so no need to feel inferior or suffer from low self-esteem.
Enjoy every stage in your life and respect your age.
Feel young but do not pretend to be,
Welcome the days when being grand parents or retired.
Use beauty products and choose the brands you like to add fun, enjoyment, and love to your life but let yourself and others believe that you are beautiful without them too!
It’s you who are beautiful not your makeup sets or a cosmetic expert or clinic that make you pretty.
Remember that a smiley face, kind heart, and pure soul could create a fabulous appearance and great impressions.
Finally don’t say your AGE and don’t hide from it either!
All the best,

Nahla

Just writing

It’s almost holiday!

nhpureandsimple

We are about to start school holiday but how fast this year has passed! It is true that time flies. 

 I remember the first day and our shopping list for school uniform and other stuff . I remeber children being worried and excited, and our prayers and wishes for a succeful and pleasent year. 

Year has gone but we have saved a file, either electonic or emotional inside our mind and heart. The file has saved our memories of school photos, reports, parents’evenings and assemblies, certificates and awards and probably phone calls for inappropriate behaviour. 

Both children and parents have grown and shared this year with all its goodness and badness.  Parents would shout, praise, reproach, ask why, when and where, and surly set their alarm clock because it’s bed time, school time and home time. On the other side, children would either listen or not, deny or admit and appreciate or take things for granted, and study hard or skipping to save an hour for free time. 

Within all these moments; Is it not a woderful experience to see your beloved ones, who were once little babies, grow, learn, argue and express themselves? 

Is it not a great blessing how we, as parents, have also grown and been seeing our children around us changing everyday? 

Is it not amazing how we, parents, have managed to fulfil this year responsibilites, promises and support to our beloved ones? Or at least have done our best! 

Thanks God for all these blessings! 

Wishing you all a wonderful and peaceful holiday! 

Just writing

Why blogging? Why pure and simple?

nhpureandsimple

 

 

IMG_0796Social media for me is not really that important. When I decided to have a facebook account, it was, honestly, for two reasons; the first was to keep an eye on my boys who decided to have one. I did not want to spy on them but I just was too curious to know how they would use it.  The second was to keep in touch with my family and friends.

I have no idea what is blogging and how to have one? And i really still need more time to know well about it. It was one day when watching a video on youtube, I noticed the word blog. Actually, at the same time, i was thinking about writing and publishing, sending my work to online magazines. Both of these indicents  resulted in me joining  the world of bloggig where i can write, publish, and read others’ work; it’s more than an interest, it’s a choice, and a good way to have a productive spare time.

As for pure and simple, it was within the first couple of minutes, i decided to have this title. These were the first two words that came to my mind. I like simplicity; Complex and  complicatecd are too hard for me even in cooking! And I like purity and its meaning for me reflects what is good, honest, clear, bright …

I like to keep my life simple and hope to live purely as far as i can!