Tag: celebrations

Just writing

Have you missed it?

nhpureandsimple

The New Year celebration bonfires?

I haven’t.

The city where I live now is so quiet that even the New Year celebrations were not fussed about. When I got up on the morning, I asked my husband whether he heard any bonfires? He said no, and I smiled, feeling so happy we moved to live here.

Isn’t it becoming too much of a waste of money, time, and peace? Ironically, these lavish celebrations smashed people’s calls and prayers for abundance, wisdom, and peace into a big, thick wall. They already dumped them all into the void, making all these virtues nothing.

Do you think one day people will stop taking part in this madness, these sophisticated competitive celebrations? Would they be satisfied with simple celebrations at home with family, and friends?

Some would say simplicity is not commercial, not entertaining, not profitable, and that’s the ethos of celebrations. But what all these things have to do with making a genuine, healthy, memorable moment?

You wouldn’t regret missing the bonfires celebrations, but you would definitely miss your peace of mind if you didn’t.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Knock knock

nhpureandsimple

Who’s knocking?

‘It’s me, the New Year,’ your visitor says.

You open the door and there is your visitor, having travelled a long journey, about 365 days, to visit you just before sunrise when it’s all quiet. Your visitor is smiling, arms open wide, eyes sparkling, in neat, elegant clothing, and smelling of a fresh, morning breeze perfume that wafts through the door and fillles you, and your place.

You seized the – once – in – a year encounter, and prattled about lots of things: the fire works celebrations, the – once – in – a life time trip to celebrate the New Year on the Caribbean or the moon, the special romantic night, the list of your last year’s fulfilled resolutions, the list of complaints about your misfortunes and bad luck, and the list of your sheer luck achievements. (Please feel free to add the things most of us usually think at each and every new year.)

‘Have you changed? The newcomer asks after listening patiently to all that details.

Struck by the question, you stammer, thinking for a minute or two and then say; ‘Of course, with all those details and things I have changed. I should have changed. Everything changed, and is changing. Just wait and see how the New Year celebrations will look next year.” You said the words, full of confidence, gazing at your visitor who looks the same as ever.

Your visitor smiles, seeming to read your mind. ‘Changes don’t have to be mainly physical. And, thanks for the celebrations.’

‘What’s piece of advice are you giving me this year?’ You ask.

‘A new year is a new chapter. Editing your writing font colours and styles makes no significant change to your chapter. It’s the content that does. What you write, what you say, and what you feel is what making your chapter worth reading, and celebrating. Besides, as long as you live, there’ll always be a new chapter to live, to write, and to celebrate whether it’s January or any other month of the year.

‘Oh, I will think about that. Do you want to know my new plans for this year?’ You ask.

‘Does anyone have to read your chapter before it’s done? I’m sure you’ll share it next year,’ the visitor says and leaves.



With all the best wishes,

Nahla







Just writing

The journey of the lifetime 3

nhpureandsimple

 

Image result for hajj 2018

 

Last year I wrote about Hajj under the title of the journey of a lifetime, I will leave the links at the end of my post so you can check them if you like.

These days Muslim Pilgrims are on their way to Makkah and this is why the memories of my Hajj journey become fresh again. In my previous posts, I explained how it was so hard for me to leave my boys who were at that time about 4 and 6 years old, even though I left them with my mother. On the day I went with my husband to Cairo International airport, I wept deeply from my heart and my friend, who was waiting for us there, hugged me tight trying to soothe me though I knew it was even harder for her because she also left her daughter who was younger than my boys and she was pregnant in the first two months. She knew about her pregnancy when we got all the documents of hajj done. I told her to postpone hajj: ‘You can apply next year. Hajj is a hard journey. You’re responsible for this pure soul growing inside you,’ I said trying to persuade her to change her mind but she said she wanted both and she would go for Hajj. And we went.
When I decided to write this post, I thought of sharing one of the very funniest moments that happened on that journey. On the day of Arafah, one of the main rituals in Hajj, we spent the day praying, making supplications and reading Quran. Food and water were available to everybody all the time. But we didn’t expect to have ice cream too. One of our friends was dead tired and was just having a nap when we discovered about that ice cream surprise. Her friend wet her lips with some yummy vanilla ice cream. She got up immediately and told everybody that she thought she was dead and was having ice cream in heaven. I couldn’t stop laughing when I heard her tale but I also thanked my Lord that I wasn’t next to her that day or else I wouldn’t be able to concentrate in any of the rituals.

 

There were lots of those funniest moments but I think one in enough this time.

By the way, my pregnant friend did well in Hajj and gave birth to a beautiful girl on her due date.

Wishing you all the best,
Nahla

Herewith my last year Hajj posts:

The journey of a lifetime!

The journey of a lifetime/2

I hope you will like this song too.

Error
This video doesn’t exist