Tag: dailyprompt

daily prompt

Happiness and You

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When are you most happy?

Don’t you regret wasting your time on things that would never add to your wellbeing? 

Aren’t you happiest when you challenge yourself to stop things that steal your time, drain your energy, and dull your mood? 

Suppose that instead of scrolling through social media, you choose to stop and switch to something else, like writing a post right now. Wouldn’t you be happier? 

By the way we lose nothing by pausing social media. When we come back, everything is exactly the same with just more copies.

Wouldn’t you be happiest when you challenge yourself with a task and fulfil it.

But of course, it’s normal to be upset, disappointed, and little dramatic when the goal isn’t achieved. But at least the attempt itself is a good compensation.

Wouldn’t you be happiest when you say “no” to things that don’t suit you or apply to your life.

Boundaries exist for a reason, don’t they? 

Wouldn’t you be happiest when you say “sorry” and truly feel it after you’ve done something wrong or hurt someone’s feelings?

This is a reassuring sign that your good nature overpowers your evil side.

Wouldn’t you be happiest when you count your blessings and realise how many times you’ve been saved and how much love you’ve been receiving.

All you need is to have faith.

And…

Wouldn’t you be happiest when you really want to be happy? 

Happiness is simple, and it is also contagious.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

Books and People

nhpureandsimple

Are you a good judge of character?

You can’t know a book by its cover. 

I totally agree.

Some people give a book a try, read a few pages and then put it aside if it doesn’t suit their liking.

And some people( like me) stubborn enough to read a book to the very end, whether they enjoy it or not. To be honest, I sometimes speed up the process by skipping a few parts. The recent book I finished was not boring, but it was a historical fiction. I like fiction, but history from the seventh century was a bit too long and old to enjoy. So, I scanned it until I came to the final chapter, which I read fully because it was just a few pages. Then I breathed a sigh of relief. 

They say people are like books; you don’t know them until you read through the pages. But sometimes you can know people at first glace. This is not judgment. No. This is simply how you feel about them. Not “good” or “bad,” but companionable or not. How do you feel at this first sight? Happy, safe, nervous, miserable, worried, relaxed…

And then you can say; I like them or I don’t. 

Isn’t that the most honest judgment we can make? 

This “like” or “don’t like” is explained and justified only later when life shows you whether your first impression was right or wrong. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Five Common Examples

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Share five things you’re good at.

These can be your hobbies, I guess. Because we are usually good at things we enjoy. Right? But we can also be bad at things we like. Now let me explain with five common examples:

Cooking. Nothing is better than homemade food— I totally agree. I love cooking and baking, but the outcome isn’t always consistent. Sometimes I receive a surprising Wow, and other times, I get something like, ‘ have you changed something?’ Which, by the way, doesn’t mean food was awful but… not as nice.

Walking. Such a simple exercise that costs nothing! I enjoy it, but my consistency is around average. In summer, it can go above average, but in winter, with its strong gusts and heavy showers, exercising feels cosier indoors.

Listening. They say listening is a life skill. Well.. that depends of course on concentration. I enjoy it, but sometimes, the mind can’t help wandering into a book, a phone call, or even an old memory. And, in the end, it all depends on the narrative, and on the narrator.

Imagination. I suppose most readers and writers are good at imagination. Otherwise, they wouldn’t enjoy either. But, it’s important to draw a line between reality and imagination. For example, the first man who imagined the possibility of flying was so brave and clever, yet his imagination wasn’t enough for a successful trial. Unfortunately he didn’t survive.

Learning. Nowadays with all this technology and so many resources, learning is available to almost everyone. One has just to know the right option and the direction to follow. I have mine, which goes well with my own rythm and preferences.

Well… even if one is good at something, it doesn’t mean they are perfect. But, at least one should try.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Favourite People

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Who are your current most favorite people?

When you think of favourite people, you are allowed to think of others in general, not only your special beloved ones. Right?

So…

You may think of The Wise, who once gave you a precious advice that still echoes in your mind.

You may think of The Kind, who comes over and knocks on your door just to ask about you, nothing else.

You may think of The Honest, who… is just honest.

You may think of The Hopeful, who always makes you believe in dreams.

You may think of The Brave, who once opened your eyes to life with all its risks.

You may think of The Cheerful, who would make you laugh even at a funeral.

You may think of The Humble, who teaches you the art of respect. 

You may think of The Innocent, whose smile would melt your heart.

And…

You may think of The Believer, who reminds you that Creation has a Creator, not just a Big Bang. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Cats’ Routine

nhpureandsimple

What part of your routine do you always try to skip if you can?

A month or two ago, my son’s friend brought his cat home for a short visit while he was travelling abroad. Actually it was my suggestion. I was both excited and relieved as a few days won’t form a strong bond between you and your favourite pet—cats. 

Cats seem to have an anticlockwise routine, right? 

They sleep most of the day, and stay awake all the night.

Perhaps yours is different, but the ones I’ve had the honour to befriend have always followed that routine.

So, when the cat arrived safe and sound, she ran and disappeared behind the sofa.

Expected.

The place was new and so we were.

A few hours later, night fell, and she was still hiding. 

I tried to give her food, but she didn’t eat.

I cradled her in my arms, but she leapt away and disappeared behind the same place.

I closed the door and left her in peace.

But there was no peace.

The big fun began—

noise echoed downstairs.

running,

sliding

and jumping.

‘That’s the cat,’ I told my daughter, couldn’t help laughing at her panicked face .

In the morning, we were the ones making the hustle and bustle, and the cat watched us with heavy lids, and half closed eyes.

But by afternoon, she was full of energy.

After stretching her four limbs, and letting out this wide, funny yawn, she jumped and stood onto the windowsill.

Like a hawk, she watched the birds, the flies, and perhaps other creatures we can’t see.

Her tail swayed, and eyes shone as if she was plotting how to catch them for dinner.

A bit later, she tiptoed around the house, exploring every room and corner. 

Then she slipped back to her hiding place, curling into her catnap, until it was our turn to go to bed and leave her free to have all the fun she wanted.

Sometimes I wonder if cats can ever skip their catnap? 

But I think that would hardly happen.

Honestly if there’s one thing I wish I could add to my routine, it would be the catnap, but then it would be the hardest thing to skip.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

A Pet in The Vacuum!

nhpureandsimple

What is good about having a pet?

It happens that, out of all the books you read, some leave you with funny memories. You may totally forget the author and the book, yet some of its narrative, perhaps its themes, stuck into your head. 

Have you experienced this before? 

I have, and that’s what inspired me to write this post.

So, in one of the novels by a popular author( whose name I cannot remember right now, and if I try, I will lose the thread of this post)

But you don’t want me to lose the thread, do you?

Now, back to the main point: a parrot was one of the characters in the story. He wasn’t a main character, but an essential one. 

Do you wonder why? 

Because he brightened the last days of an old lady’s life. 

By the way, in Egypt, when one repeats other’s words without thinking— or worse without understanding, they’re called a parrot. 

In the story the parrot was… imprudent, throwing swearing words at others, not for fun or for a fight, but because his owner was professional in that craft. 

Then one day, the person who was taking care of the parrot while his friend was away on business, decided to give her flat a good cleaning. She grabbed the vacuum, turned it on, and got to work. The place looked so clean and tidy, but something was missing.

She felt something was missing, clearly, definitely missing. And that was it: the flat was so quiet. She could hear a pin drop. But how? Where was the source of everyday noise, the maestro of the swearing symphony? 

A few moments later, she saw him, swallowed by the vacuum and trapped inside like a fluffy toy.

She rushed to pull him out and held him in her hands. 

His eyes were open and he was breathing, but that was all. 

It seemed the shock, whether an electric or emotional, had switched off his brain. 

For days, his condition remained unchanged. No noise, no food. Still, he was alive.

A few days later, he was taken to the old lady. She laughed at his mishap, but she also felt sorry for him. 

She didn’t give up on him. Every day, she gave him food and water.

Bit by bit, his life was restored, but his voice was never the same. And, the good thing was he lost his old vocabulary. Yet he made the old lady laugh, and she felt quiet responsibility towards that poor creature. 

I remember there was a quote that explained how a pet can help people live longer and happier. 

Now take care,

Watch the vacuum,

And teach your pet good manners! 

With hope and peace,

 Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Can a Blog Be Your Favourite Place?

nhpureandsimple

What is your favorite place to go in your city?

Why not?

All you have to do is to think about it.

Actually, I like this idea. 

I like to think about how, in my blog, I begin to practise creativity, how I find my voice, and how ideas and thoughts start to flow. 

It becomes my favourite place in my city of writing. 

By the way, I have another favourite place in my imaginative city—books. 

You can’t write without reading, can you?

Books are not only for reading with your eyes but also for imagining with your mind.

You imagine characters, and you also imagine their places, their cities, and their era.

Or you may prefer science, philosophy, or even politics, and there too, you’ll find yourself as if you were in your favourite place.

So, wherever you live, in a small or big city, if you pick up a book and really enjoy it, your reading will turn into a visit, short or long, to a special, imaginative spot in your imaginative city.

Just imagine: step out for a moment from the real world, from the actual city. 

Now step into your imaginative city,

to write

or to read.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

Can we turn things upside down?

nhpureandsimple

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

So… can we think of the most famous as the most infamous and vice versa?

In other words, why can a celebrity be the most famous, while the teacher, for example, is the last, or perhaps nonexistent, in the list of the most famous?

Can we swap positions, so the celebrity goes down the list and the teacher goes up to be the most famous? 

I hope your head isn’t spinning right now, or is it?

Mine actually is.

But don’t you get it? 

Some people can be famous but without big celebrations, shiny gowns, best-selling books, or seven zeros in their bank account? They can be the most famous because of something simple yet special about them—something that shines without glitter, something that resounds without raucous noise, and something that attracts with respect. 

Wouldn’t it be a good change to think of the famous and the infamous in this way? 

You may discover that you are more famous in your own surroundings than those in the media or politics. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

Let Me Think…My Most Valuable Trait

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What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

This prompt is a bit hard… because … sometimes you have the thing and its opposite. And sometimes you think you don’t have the thing though others believe you do.

Got anywhere so far?

Simply, it’s like being optimistic with sunny spirit, but also having your own heavy, dark moments. Or being quiet with calm nature, but also having your own loud, rumbling explosions. Or when people see bravery in you, while you still hit the spider three times (or more) before moving it to its final destination. 

But… what I appreciate in myself and what I believe is, indeed, a very valuable trait, is simplicity. 

Complex, complicated and sophisticated feel too abstract, too demanding, and too vain to be part of my life. Even when I decide to make a change and welcome those fancy concepts for a quick visit, things go wrong, or boring, or fake. So, I’ve promised to grant them indefinite leave with no quick return.

Sometimes I wonder how the famous artist dared to use simplicity and sophistication in the same sentence: “Simplicity is the ultimate art of sophistication.” Of course he meant that it’s more complicated to live a simple life than a cluttered one. True. It really takes time to love simplicity especially if you are a complex person. But that’s the point. He should have used… elegance. Or better yet—modesty

Simplicity is modesty’s best companion.

Isn’t that much simpler?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

People: The Most Interesting Cultural Heritage

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What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

The first thing that struck me as I read today’s prompt was something I truly like about Egyptians, something that can be a special trait or a characteristic that most of the Egyptians are known for. And you know what? Even after living abroad for so many years, I think I still have a bit of it. 

Can you guess what it is?

It’s how they carry humour in their talk, how they simply crack jokes in passing comments, how they can lighten what is heavy and simplify what is complicated. To put it simply: how naturally most of the Egyptians can be both funny and witty. 

They love to laugh, to spark laughter, and to cherish every laughing memory.

“Why aren’t you laughing? Afraid your skin might crack?” That’s how they react when visiting with someone a bit too serious 

It’s always funny when we meet up with Egyptian friends and they try to joke with my children. My children smile which is a clear indication that they did’t get the joke. I stifle my laughter. I cough. I breathe. And then our friends repeat the joke. 

My children turn to me: their faces wondering what’s so funny, and their eyes pleading for a quick explanation. I burst out laughing, not at the joke but at their reaction. And then they burst out laughing not at the joke but because laugher is contagious, just like yawning. 

And this is one of the most well-known Egyptian sayings about laugher:

“Just laugh, no one’s taking anything from this world when they leave it.”

True!

With hope and peace,

Nahla