Tag: fun

Just writing

A Plat For Two

nhpureandsimple

Imagine the portions you eat at home and the ones you eat out.

No comparison.

Not because the food you eat at home is less,

but because what you eat at home can be plenty, and for far less expenses.

You actually pay far too much at restaurants.

Of course, the food may taste nicer and look fantastic. 

And yes, you feel relieved and relaxed,

for you donโ€™t have the burden of preparing, cooking and cleaning.

Still, your mind canโ€™t help doing the math.

Everything has a double price hidden behind the smile and warm welcome of the catering staff.

On one of those few precious warm April days, we went to for lunch outside.

Everything looked nice and clean, and the location of the restaurant was really nice.

My daughter ordered pizza, which I believe was a good, money wise choice.

My husband and I were craving fish.

The plat we both liked offered a variety of fish; prawns, cod, salmon, oysters, smocked sardine, along with vegetables in a cream sauce and some bread.

Isnโ€™t it mouthwatering?

I suggested that we can share the plat.

My husband agreed, though doubted it would enough and thought it might be a good idea to have a side or two.

I insisted it would be fine since Iโ€™m not much of an eater.

My husband nodded, but added two sides anyways, just in case 

I surrendered.

Our order arrived with a divine aroma and a fantastic presentation.

But then the real fun began.

The  plat turned out to be a big bowl, full of creamy sauce that looked like a wide white sea with tiny, different kinds of fish. 

I grabbed my fork and imagined it was my fishing rod. It was easy to catch those tiny swimming portions, really easy.

They tasted yummy, but in a blink our Bismillah and Alhamdulilaah ( our food blessings) were done, and every tiny piece had disappeared.

If it werenโ€™t for the two sides and the leftovers from my daughterโ€™s pizza, we would have been starving.

Itโ€™s funny to share a plat, but only if youโ€™ve ordered plenty of sides.

Otherwise, youโ€™re better off saving your money and eating at home.

With sharing-a-plat thoughts,

Nahla

Philosophical musings

The Marionette and the Kite

nhpureandsimple

I wish I knew the names of the inventors of these two string-held toys: the marionette and the kite.

Do you?

Or even know the real story behind their inventions.

I know neither.

Perhaps a quick search online would reveal the full story.

But Iโ€™m not actually interested, not right now.

Actuallyโ€ฆ I donโ€™t like marionettes.

But I really enjoy watching kites drift across in the sky.

Sometimes I wonder why.

If both work with a string.

If both have someone behind the scenes guiding the string with accuracy, talent, and lots of practice.

And, if both exist for fun and entertainment.

Why? 

But arenโ€™t they are totally different?

The marionette is a puppet, 

and a puppet is a puppet.

It is confined to the stage,

manipulated by a hidden person,

for the two can never appear on the same stage.

It talks, sings, and dances.

It tells stories, and people laugh.

And its manipulator is always after the prize โ€” the profit.

But the kite is different.

It is freedom in the open air.

It is quiet, with just a little flipping and flapping.

And, it is wonderfully flexible, soaring high and flying with the wind.

Its manipulator is not hidden.

Actuallyโ€ฆ they canโ€™t be manipulators.

They always in the open โ€” brave, steady, and smiling.

Their prize is the sight of freedom, strength, and courage.

Now, if you have two invitations: one for a marionette show and the other for a flyingโ€“kite show, which one will you choose?

I would definitely choose the flying-kites show.

And thatโ€™s why I like kites and donโ€™t like marionettes.

With free-soaring thoughts,

Nahla

holidays

Simple Fun on a Long Walk

nhpureandsimple


It seemed like a breezy afternoon with mild sunshine, a few fluffy clouds floating in the blue sky, and a gentle wind playing with the trees. Isn’t that the perfect time for a nice walk? That was my suggestion, which my husband approved, and my thirteen-year-old daughter surrendered to with a long sigh.

In a few minutes, we were walking down a long hill, for that was the plan to walk all the way to the end and then climb back up to our house. I was hoping I could bribe my family to stretch the walk a bit further, but I changed my mind, and that wasn’t because it started raining.

A few minutes after we stepped out onto the long road, the sun turned blazing, the clouds evaporated, and the wind changed direction as if heading towards a different destination.

As we walked, we realised that we were almost the only ones on the road at that hour.  Oh my… even the birds had disappeared. The number of cars and buses passing by was countable. We couldn’t help but laugh until it struck us that it was time to climb back up the same long road. That’s when the real challenge began.

The merciless sun turned straight into our faces as if blaming us for choosing the wrong time for a walk. And one can’t easily evade the English sun. So we kept walking: my daughter dreamed of ice cream, my husband of a long nap, and I of sunceam as my face was already burning.

Halfway along the walk, we discovered a simple joy as some dry tree leaves joined us on the road. Their crunch beneath our shoes lifted my daughter’s mood, and she began searching for the driest leaves with the crunchiest sound. I found the idea both fun and soothing, so I joined her. Surprisingly, we attracted the attention of some hibernating neighbours who stepped out, curious to see what was happening.

Finally, we were home. I was pleased we had made it, my husband was already thinking about a second round later on, and my daughter felt sorry for my sunburn.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

P.S.

It seems the rain heard of our dilemma and decided to grace us in abundance!







daily prompt

Writing: It’s Just Like Cooking

nhpureandsimple

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Well… that was the first thought that crossed my mind today.

But don’t you agree that writing is just like cooking?

Let me explain why.

Both writing and cooking rely on talent and taste. And, just like cooking, writing comes in different styles and varieties.ย  Your first attempts at both are usually awful and funny. Day after day, month after month, and years later, you begin to master your craft and savour your own unique flavour.

Have you ever thought about how writing and cooking push all your senses to the frontline when you’re on a mission? Of course they do. Both need colours and flavours, moments of quiet and noise, and the ability to stir some emotionsโ€” just as much in your cooking pot as in your piece of writing.

Copy and paste doesn’t work in writing or cooking. Don’t people say the same recipe tastes different when prepared by two different hands? The same idea applies to writingโ€”and what better example than our responses to daily writing prompts? Your dish, as well as your piece of writing, carries your own unique signature, even if you follow all the “should do” and “shouldn’t do” rules.

And then there’s time โ€”this precious and the most needed ingredient in both writing and cooking. Keeping it light is possible in both activities: you can boil a few eggs or scribble a few lines. But when you’re really in the mood to enjoy a good meal or to pour your heart and soul into your writing, you take your time. You wait and, sometimes, you even pray for the right moment.


And, it’s normal … actually, quite common to fall under that lagging spell that hits you like a heatwave. It becomes too warm to eat, too lazy to write. You don’t feel like cooking or writing. This sluggish phase might last a day, a week, but hopefully not much longer. Of course, it depends on how much you enjoy your homemade meals and how much power you have over your mind to pull yourself out of that lethargy.

One more thing worth mentioning about this combination of writing and cooking: it’s the element of surprise. You start with something, but unexpected things happen, which might turn completely different. The rice smells like burning popcorn, the soup thickens like pudding , and the dessert looks and tastes like something from ancient times.

Writing is even more surprising. First, an idea pops into your head, just a mere idea. With sighs, smiles, and knitted brows, you let the thoughts flow and begin to write. When you feel satisfied, you stop. Then you scan your piece again, wondering how and when you wrote this piece.

But that’s what I love most about writingโ€” it surprises you and challenges the writer in you.

And, don’t forget that both writing and cooking like company, love inspirations, and adore compliments.

It’s truly enjoyable to share food and blog posts, isn’t it? As long as both are edible and easy to digest!

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

On the Train

nhpureandsimple


Whenever I get on a train, I like to sit next to the window. I enjoy it more when my seat faces the direction the train is heading. If I find out that I’m sitting on the opposite direction, I feel a bit annoyed. But once the train starts moving and picking up speed, I don’t feel any difference.

Some people say that the one sitting by the window sees everything except the road. Do you know what this means? This means that some people become too lost in their own world to see anything else.

Have you ever felt this way?

The train is usually full of different people doing different activities just like in real life. Some read books, some work, some play games, some talk, some eat and drink, some make phone calls, some fall asleep, some watch movies, some listen to music, and some just gaze out of the window.

As the train leaves the station and picks up speed, the scenery shifts and changes rapidly. Only the one sitting by the window can feel this flow, this changeโ€” if only they choose to. And then, the mind begins to wander, inviting memories and thoughts to flow too.

That’s why, when you sit by the window, the road remains only in a background while your mind recollecting different things. I gaze at the sky, the trees, the vast green pastures, the distant sea, the nearby river, and the horses, cows anฬˆd sheep grazing and napping. Meanwhile, I let my mind wander only to good memoriesโ€”pleasant onesโ€” even if it makes up some. But I also warn it not to spoil the fun.

Sometimes I can’t help but wonder how people can enjoy the journey on the new high speedy trainsโ€”those that almost reaching the speed of sound. Why? What is there to enjoy when the rider sees nothing as the train races against time through long, dark tunnels?

So, if you’re taking a train anytime soon, try to sit by the window, gaze out, and think only of good thingsโ€” pleasant ones. Believe me, you’ll enjoy the journey and feel refreshed.

But if you’re feeling deeply under the weather, just close your eyes and have a little snooze.

Enjoy the week ahead,

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

At The Feast

nhpureandsimple

“Sometimes the urgency of our hunger blinds us to the fact that we are already at the feast.”

Indeed.

How many times have you focused on what’s missing while abundance is present in your life?

Food is just a well – drawn metaphor in this quote, reminding us of how greedy and voracious humans can be.

Imagine you’re at a royal feast with a dreamy banquet as if it’s just fallen straight from heaven. Starving, you keep moving around the grand table, mainly looking for what’s missing, what’s not been served yet, or what’s already gone. In your haste, you leave โ€“ having neither tasted the various, mouthwatering dishes nor savoured their warm, wafting aroma.

Sometimes, we want something now โ€“ right now, this very momentโ€“and we want it so much that we turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to other solutions, opportunities, exits already there in life, staring back at us. They are waiting to be seen, considered, and embraced. Only later do we realise how and why we missed it all.


On the other hand, can we think of this quote the other way round? I mean to consider that what you’re missing is so precious, so needed, that the abundance you’ve aleady accumulated and possessed as valuable treasures are just worthless extras in your life.

Imagine the same feast, the same banquet, and yourself in the same scene I drew earlier. But in this version, you savoured every dish and every drink until you’re completely full. You talk, you nod, you smile and laugh with other guests. Perhaps, you even make some good buisness deals โ€“ earning more money, gaining more possessions, and suffering moreย headaches. But then it’s time to leave for the feast doesn’t last for ever, does it?

As you’re leaving you glance back at the feast with a strange, nagging feeling. What’s been missing? You wonder. For the first time, just before getting into your car, you catch sight of two birds flying together out of their nest. It’s already dawn, and the fresh, soft light of a new morning begins to lighten the dark sky. How much I miss this simplicity, this inner peace, and a true companion, you whisper and drive away.

Which interpretation of the quote relates more to you? Just think about it.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

The little feathered visitors

nhpureandsimple

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

Close to where I live, is a small shopping area. Sometimes when I go out, I see a man stretching his arm out, turing his open plam heavenward, and his hand full of birds’ seeds. A beautiful white pigeon is always the one that stands there to peck at the seeds from his hand. Other pigeons will be gathering and surroundintg them on the ground while pecking at some more seeds that, I am pretty sure, the same man scattered for them. It’s a serene scene that always brings a smile to my face and fills me with joy.

I usually scatter some seeds in my garden for the pigeons to visit and eat. Sometimes, I add some leftover rice or bread crumbs so they have a different treat. But, my little visitors are not as brave as the ones I see outside. I have to be very quiet as I peek from behind the window to watch them. Still, their sight makes me smile.ย 

Do you know that the lenses of our digital cameras, phone cameras, can never give us the same joy as seeing and contemplating things or people with our own eyes. Most people take so many pictures these days, but none will make you feel as the actual moment they were taken.ย 

Enjoy the moment!

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

Tattoo in a story

nhpureandsimple

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. Thatโ€™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 day

nhpureandsimple

Youโ€™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,ย  I believe it’d be wise to use all the possible options.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

A slight change

nhpureandsimple

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 ourย  good or bad traits; we say as loyal as a dog, stubborn asย  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