Tag: happiness

daily prompt, personal thoughts

Happiness: Different Standards

nhpureandsimple

What’s a common misconception people have about happiness?

Today, happiness has different standards.

Have you heard this common comment lately?

Honestly, I don’t know what to say, or whether it’s said out of blindness, selfishness, or what else.

But… look around these days and you will see how happiness has become so sensual, so material, so selfish, and so fake. 

It turns into a big, fancy castle built from lies and pretences; a place some people spend their whole lives building. They live inside it, seeking protection, until it collapses over their heads. And then, they spend the rest of their lives buried under misery, regret, and loss.

Unfortunately, in most cases, social media plays the main role in shaping this messy version of happiness. It makes things worse by planting fake seeds of fake happiness. It keeps pushing those crème “elites” to the front, above everything and everyone else. Those with shiny smiles, dazzling fame, great power, and unlimited cash have been presented as the idols of absolute happiness.

And you gape, you make a wish, and you follow suit.

The blind leading the blind, heading nowhere.

The selfish ego swells and swells until it bursts.

And one day, you wake up; your head heavy and buzzing. You hold your head in your hands, wanting nothing but comfort and relief. Then suddenly, you glace at a short note nearby. Your blurry eyes clear as you begin to read:

‘You’ve never been happy, yet you can be. Happiness is neither loud nor glamorous. And, it never comes different standards.’ The note was signed: true happiness.

So… will you agree when others say today’s happiness has different standards?

As for me, I still believe that… happiness can be as simple as a bird’s nest, as pure as snowflakes, and as genuine as a mother’s prayer.

With happy thoughts,

 Nahla 

Just writing

Joy in Between the Lines.

nhpureandsimple

Well… I borrowed the title exactly as it is.

But, mind you, this is not plagiarism.

How?

Because that’s the title of my post on my other blog.

Anyway… how many beautiful things do you notice while walking?

By walking, I mean that nice long walk you enjoy with no rush.

I hope you’ll say “many,”  because there are so many beautiful things around.

If you miss them, you really miss so much beauty and fun.

Really… you will miss things like the sky when it is clear, 

and the gentle, warm breeze.

Everything looks different…  more shiny and pretty:

from the high sky to the green grass,

from the wavy see to the steady land,

from the flying birds to the buzzing bees.

Aren’t these simple, quiet joys that are tucked in between the lines of everything around us worth your attention and appreciation?

Of course they are.

But sometimes you just can’t avoid interruptions.

A phone call, a serious talk, some funny comments, or the barking of an angry dog.

That’s exactly what happened today as me and my daughter were going for a walk.

Though we were on the other side of the road, a nosy, jumpy dog began barking nonstop at the gate of his house. 

He didn’t only interrupt our conversation, he also gave us such a jump that made us forget what we were talking about.

But… perhaps he was somehow trying to remind us that he also wanted to go out and look for those hidden joys tucked along the road.

Honestly, I was happy that his search – for – joy adventure wasn’t scheduled with ours.

With simple, quiet joys,

Nahla

 https://nh825.wordpress.com/2026/06/13/joy-in-between-the-lines/

daily prompt

Happiness and You

nhpureandsimple

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

Philosophical musings

What Do You Think About The Stars?

nhpureandsimple

Well… this is not astronomy or astrology or astrophysics. I have nothing to do with any of those.

I simply think of stars as stars; luminous lanterns created to shine in the sky, to guide, or once used to guide, our ancestors across land and sea all over the globe. 

Strange how little we see of them nowadays. They still exist in abundance up there in the sky, but most of us are busy, mainly chasing human stars, brand stars, evaluation stars, review stars, and those golden and silver stars. But those literal stars cannot compare to a single luminous creature shining up there in the sky. Its distance, its quality, its meaning, its light, its power, its mystery, all are beyond compare.

In olden times, when human life was deeply connected with those sky lanterns, people personified them as the best of the best. Those far away stars were friends, listeners, watchers, consultants, lovers, and more. Poets wove them into poetry. Travellers took them as companions. Workers waited for them. Children counted them. Lovers dreamed beneath them. Even animals and birds nestled into their places with the first sight of them.

Have you ever noticed how real stars rarely appear amid noise? You have to seek them in quiet, simple places ; on mountains, by the sea, across dessert sands, or anywhere tranquil. Their silver light is a treasure, revealed only to those who pause to appreciating it. 

Now what do you think about the stars?

Here’s a verse from Gibran’s poem,

“The sorrow of the soul is nothing but an illusion, that doesn’t last, and the clouds of the soul reveal the stars within its folds.”

Can you see that the stars symbolise the light that can be seen even in the most greyest and darkest night—yourself?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Simple Recipe for Driving Life

nhpureandsimple

Release.

Accept.

Live.

And—

Don’t stare long into the mirror,

into the past,

into the dark.

or …

into your fear.

What is missed is missed.

Embrace the change.

And focus on the present.

The road ahead might have more surprises,

than what’s been left behind.

Long story short;

Steer your life as safely as you steer the wheel of your car.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

What is the Art of Waiting?

nhpureandsimple


It’s the highly esteemed virtue—

the companion of wisdom,

the friend of perseverance,

the key to peace,

the first rule of trust,

the fuel for success,

the road to love,

and the gate to happiness.



Am I missing something?

Oh yes—

it’s the prayer we repeat,
believing it’s been heard
and will be answered
at its perfect time.

Now, do you know what the art of waiting is?

It’s patience.
And it is really hard to master this highest form of art.

But, sometimes, people test your patience until you can’t hold the horses anymore. You won’t just let the horses go wild, but you might burn the bridges or, like Samson, destroy the temple.

Perhaps that’s why patience can’t thrive without faith.

Aren’t the patient the most blessed?



With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

You’re Wasting Your Time

nhpureandsimple


We repeat this sentence quite often. Most of us are even willing to volunteer advice, recommend ideas, and suggest plans to help others be productive and overcome laziness. Right?

But have you ever consifered that people are different? What you see as a waste of time might be the greatest success someone else can achieve in their life.

Fame, money and power are not the ultimate proof that we are making the best use of our time. In fact, these glimmering idols are some of the most dangerous thieves of time. They glow with sparkling lights on the horizon, and you follow them—day after day, month after month, and year after year.

Through your journey, you achieve things—perhaps great things—yet you still chase the dazzling lights. You keep walking, oblivious to how time has slipped through your fingers, like soft sands. Suddenly, exhausted and drained, you blink and look back. Stupified, you gaze near and far, wondering about the many things, moments, and people you’ve missed, ignored, or—worse —belittled while chasing a mirage that never ends.

Do you agree with whoever said, “Lost time ticks in hell”? Isn’t it actually so right? I believe it is, and I’m also convinced that it applies both to those who chase the distant, dazzling mirage and to those who do nothing but watch, dreaming of following the same path. In the end, both cry over spilled milk—though they could have simply enjoyed it while they had the chance.

Our lives are not the same. You have certain chores, commitments, and deams to fullfil and I have mine— which might not seem so different. We waste time when we either achieve too much or nothing at all. Time is life, and life is not about gaining more or less. It is about what, how, and why you gain.

Only then will you know that you are not wasting your time.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Multifunction Printers

nhpureandsimple


A few years ago, we purchased a printer—not as a luxury, but because we really needed one. So, we chose an HP model with multifunctional tasks: printing, scanning, and photocopying (faxing was not included). We still have it, and it’s working fine. We haven’t decided to replace it yet, because it’s just eight years old. However, technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, producing massive, unbelievable changes in the electric devices industry.

In comparison to the modern printers, our poor printer seems to have suddenly aged. Nowadays, we realise that it takes a few minutes, and sometimes even longer, to complete a print order, making us almost give up waiting. Not to mention, how it chugs along during printing, just like an old steam locomotive from the 19th century. Still, I find it really entertaining.

What about multitask printers? I read that they’re the postmodern generation of the multifunctional ones. They can print, scan, copy, and fax at the same time. Perhaps they can talk, maybe even walk. Isn’t that mind-blowing? But, they also say that these new-age printers, though very efficient, have a complex internal mechanism that makes their repair an awful nightmare. So, if it breaks down, you will cry your eyes out over the money you’ve spent because you’ll have no choice but to replace it. That’s why I wish my old printer a long, healthy life.

Now let’s move to the main point of this post. Do you prefer to be multifunctional or a multitasker? But first, let me share my  perspective on both.

There’s both flexibility and practicality in being multifunctional as you can do certain jobs in your own time. However, being a multitasker is like being unbendable and machinery. Any multitasker has to handle more different tasks within nearly the same fixed timeframe just like a multitask printer.


If there’s anything that could summarise a multitasker’s life, there would be nothing better than a juggler tossing and catching balls into the air all his life. He smiles, perhaps laughs, and perhaps putting on a clown costume too—such a good player. But what a life to live when you can’t let go, when you can’t miss the ball, when you can’t stop to breathe, really breathe.

A multifunctional person’s life needs no juggling, no balls to toss and catch. You just pick the right job, just as the bowler picks the right ball. You handle one task at a time, taking your time to fulfill it before moving on to the next task. The bowler grips the ball, takes a good position, and throws it—done. He may hit the target, and he may not, but he does the job with careful calculations and adaptability.

Over the years, I have met many people. I saw how some made their life even harder by choosing to be multitaskers. And they complain about challenges and exhaustion. They wish others would lend a hand or that things were easier. But aren’t they the ones who chose to be the juggler? Why did they choose to work like multitask printers, taking on multiple tasks all at once?

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” is really a great slogan, but I prefer to live by this one: To live, and to choose how to live—that is the question.

With hope and peace,

Nahla








personal thoughts

They Asked Her Why …

nhpureandsimple


They asked her why she said ‘no’ to his marriage proposal.
‘Because he’s so poor—money is all he has,’ she said, smiling.

I read this very short story once, and isn’t it a beautiful brief one that offers priceless advice to young girls and women around the world.

Say that’s vague idealism, that’s madness, or that’s out-of‐place -and- time wisome. Still, it’s such genuine advice — an ultimate truth! Money alone doesn’t make real happiness.

Just read it carefully. It simply means not to marry only for money. Yes, those who seek only money in life may have it multiplied, trilionied, and live the life of their dreams – or even a life that surpasses all possible dreams. Yes, they can buy the whole world, govern it, and control it. Yes, they can look young, enjoy perfect health, and create robots. But all of it can vanish in the blink of an eye, as can the life around it. Money without sanity, without communication, without understanding, without wisdom — and above all, without love can’t create a strong bond or a healthy marriage. 

One old Egyptian movies dramatised this idea beautifully. The hero was an illiterate – completely illiterate – but a very smart garbage dealer (I’m not sure if this is the right word for his profession but he owned something like a waste dump centre) He made a fortune at a young age, and his wealth grew year after year. One day, a beautiful young lady crossed his path, and without wasting any time, he began his investigation. He found out that she was in love with a poor but highly educated teacher, and he also knew about her dream of becoming a doctor. He knocked straightaway on her parents’ door, asking for her hand. Dazzled by both his money and his promise to fund her medical qualification, she agreed to marry him.

Halfway through the movie, the poor girl became a famous doctor, Her husband made more and more money but remained the same illiterate garbage dealer. Their married life turned into a distant life, just like that of two distant relatives who hadn’t met, rarely talked to each other, and never shared any warm feelings.

One day, the husband decided to change things by all means when he discovered he was dying. He was the one who made his wife a famous doctor, and believed he had the very right to be a part of her life untill the end. He began visiting her clinic, joining her meetings, and waiting for her every night. Yet,things went from bad to worse. He couldn’t understand anything about medicine or even understand his wife. She hated him, hated his money, and hated her life, until she finally asked for a divorce. But it was too late. The last scene was for the wife, screaming and crying, full of guilt because she hadn’t tried even once to help her husband as he had helped her. And, she hated herself for marrying only for money.

Now, do you still think that’s all just vague idealism?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

memories

Feelings And Eyesight

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Changes in your eyesight do not really imply medical problems. Sometimes, they can be affected by how you feel and think.

A few years ago, my daughter didn’t feel happy in her class because her best friend left the school ‐ just like that, without even a short notice. There were other friends, but she couldn’t feel the same happiness as if  something was missing everyday at school. Then, one day, as we were walking back home after school, she told me she couldn’t see the board well. I let a few days pass while observing her reading and writing at home. All seemed fine. Yet, she insisted that she couldn’t see well at school.

I arranged an appointment at the optician’s, and to my surprise, he prescribed glasses for my daughter. Honestly, I didn’t trust his diagnosis. He seemed miserable himself, and imapteint too. I could feel my daughter’s nervousness during the eye test. But, sometimes, you can’t just disagree with the doctor with a reference based on your intuition.

My daughter chose the frame and colour of her glasses, feeling so excited about her new accessory. The following day, she took them to school, and put them on once or twice. The day after, she left them at home. By the third day she had forgotten all about them.

“I see better without them, Mama,” she said and hid them in her desk drawer. On the following year, at her annual eye test check, the optician was such a cheerful person with a genuine smile. My daughter felt relaxed during the examination, and her eyesight was perfect.

“Have you been wearing your glasses regularly,” the optician asked.
‘No,” my daughter quietly replied, feeling a bit guilty.
“Well, it doesn’t happen often, but you don’t need glasses anymore,” the optician gave the news as if announcing the marvellous success of a hardworking student.

“Really,’ my daughter gasped, her face beamed with a beautiful smile.

I smiled too, wondering whether it’s true that mothers have a sixth sense -that intuition commonly known as gut feelings.

Whether you’re a child or a grown-up, your eyesight can be affected by what’s hidden deep within your heart and mind. Some might lose their eyesight because of grief, yet the same ones might also regain it through the power of joy. There are no hopless cases, but hope for every case. It’s the cause of the problem that might need treatment, more than the problem itself.

Don’t they say that a healthy diet and a walk outdoor in the open, wide beauty of nature can improve eyesight? I couldn’t agree more, becuase they actually can change your mood, brighten your day, and calm your spirit. This is a simple recipe that might help you take off your glasses every now and then.

With hope and peace,

Nahla