Tag: humanity

daily prompt

Fiction or real life?

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What would you do if you lost all your possessions?

In fiction, sometimes, the main plot is about making new beginnings. Things like how the change, the end, or the loss of something or all things is nothing but a different route for new beginnings, new journey, or new life. But, isn’t fiction, in most cases, a representation of our lives, a mirror of ourselves?

It’s heartbreaking to read a war story, a report in the news, and, of course, posts on social media about a mother who lost everything; her husband, her children, her house, her land, and all her possessions. Why? Did she do anything to have this punishment? No. Then why? Simply, because of Evil: evil that aims at destroying everything, everyone, and all possessions for its own benefit, its own growth, its own lies. But the story doesn’t end, won’t end, at this stage.

The mother is still alive, have memories, dreams, breath, and faith. She starts again with new people, new children, new life around her. Goodness prevail, always prevail.

Isn’t that we read in fiction? Isn’t that what happens in real life? What’s happening now?

Life goes on. Even if we lose all our possessions, we can have new ones, always find new ones as long as good exists, as long as we are real.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

daily prompt

A slight change

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

Just writing

2+2

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Image result for 2+2 video

 

I was just sitting, thinking about something to write when 2+2 just came to my mind.

2+2= 4, and this answer will never be different, but these days things seem more confusing.

A person might pop on on TV, social media, or anywhere and argue for hours, for example about Cain and Abel, and says that Cain was not evil and didn’t intend to murder his brother. He will explain the psychological, philosophical, or whatever, and the interviewer will keep nodding.  But, the story in the holy books will never change; Cain was evil, jealous, and arrogant. He planned the first murder in the history of humanity and killed his brother.  So, no matter what s/he talks, Truth can never change and 2+2 will always = 4

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

Just writing

Ayla

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Image result for ayla turkish movie

 

 

 

Ayla is a 2017 Turkish movie; tells the story of a Turkish sergeant and a Korean little girl.  It is based on a true story happened during the Korean War.

It’s about humanity and pure love. One night, when the moon was full, the sergeant found a little girl, terrified, shaking, not just of the freezing cold but also of the disaster, the inhumane massacre surrounded her fragile little frame.

A stranger, with a different tongue and a kind heart, became the girl’s papa. He saved her, cared about her, and never abandoned her. And she understood him, trusted him, and even loved him as her real papa.

But when the mission ended, the sergeant had to go back to his country, and by law, the little girl could not leave with him.

Did she forget her foreign papa? Did he forget the daughter of war? Never.

Fate brought them back together after sixty years.

It reminded me of I’m David movie by Paul Feig; wonderful stories with beautiful messages.

It’s available on Youtube, but with no English subtitles.

Herewith snaps of the movie, hope you will enjoy it.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

Just writing

The Thief

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Related image

 

 

‘The mother warned her child to be careful and not to open the door to strangers unless she (the mother) or her father was in the house.’

This was part of a funny story which I was telling my daughter yesterday. But she asked why?

Sometimes, thieves break into houses to steal things.

Then, she asked me not to put in any thieves in the stories. She was scared, and I immediately changed the whole plot, or we’d have been awake all night.

But today, I remembered a short video on Facebook which shows a different image of a thief. A kind image.

In this video, instead of stealing, the thief helped his victim to return safely to her home. Why? Because everyone has a good side. And next time in my story, I’ll make sure that my daughter understands this point.

Watch this video to know how the thief helped the young lady.

With my best wishes,

Nahla

 

 

Just writing

Leave it at home!

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I read this post today on facebook, and remembered a simple lesson I had learned years ago at school; it was a hadith by Prophet Muhammad; when giving a charity, your left hand shouldn’t know what the right had already given.

But today not just the left-hand knows about you giving charity but the entire globe. Why is that? Why should people in need be humiliated, and be pictured crying and begging for money? Why those benevolent hands intend to show off rather than be thoughtful and grateful?

Some said that this motivates others, reminds others, helps others to take part and help the poor, but I, and I’m sure there are others, have learned the lesson, without a practical demonstration; I mean the teacher didn’t open her purse and invite the most miserable in the class to give her some money.

I’m not against giving details or making people aware of others’ suffering, and I believe many people are having good intentions, but I’m just wondering what if those in need object, and refuse to be pictured, would they still receive any charity? Would those benevolent hands turn their cameras off and give charity? Would it be better to be humane rather than popular?

Please think before taking pictures.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

Just writing

Marva Collins

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Teaching is a talent.

Would we go back a bit to recall those special memories about teachers that had really taught us something special, something we still remember? Are there any? Or Your teachers had that traditional style that gives students no more than what’s already been in books.

Marva Collins was a talented teacher, believing that every child has a right to learn and can learn. She hasn’t got a certificate in Education; her degree was in secretarial science, but her teaching methods became far better than many of those highly qualified teachers. So what was special about her?

Collins resigned from the teaching position at Chicago public school because she didn’t believe in the system that teaches to the test and eliminates children with learning disabilities. She launched Westside Preparatory School which was a one-room school with eighteen students of different abilities. There, she cared for every single student in the class. She gave good quality and quantity of education, she gave love and respect, and her students learned how to be themselves and to choose a better way of living.

These are some of her phrases which she used to inspire her students;

‘’You have the choice, the right to choose what kind of person you want to be.’’

‘’This is my life to use or to throw away.’’

‘’You are not in school for your parents, for your teachers, or for anyone else. You are here for yourselves.’’

There is a movie available on Youtube about her story. It’s great, why not watching?

Happy New Year!

With all best wishes,

Nahla

 

Just writing

The Captain’s daughter

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One day I took my daughter to the local library to get a new book. She picked two, and it was my turn to choose mine. It was The last Pearl by Leah Fleming that caught my sight.

It was the first time to know about Fleming or read any of her books. It’s about a young woman, Greta’s journey in time and place. It’s about family, family poverty, family struggle, family failure, and family success. It’s about kindness, cruelty, misery, and happiness. And that’s the book I have been looking for.

Then I borrowed another book; The Captain’s Daughter. I expected to finish it by the end of the Christmas holiday, but I read it; done.

It’s the story of two Titanic survivors, two women that were destined to save the life of each other. It’s about kindness, friendship, family, motherhood, and humanity. If you’re interested in the setting of different countries, moving home, wartime, and relationships between different cultures and backgrounds, then this one is highly recommended.

And one more thing about the captain’s daughter, it explains how ‘the secrets in a woman’s heart are deeper than the ocean.’

Have you read any of Leah Fleming’s books?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

I am David

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Image result for i am david anne holm

 

This is a novel by Ann Holm. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve watched the movie. I think it’s good although some people might find it full of unlikely coincidences. But don’t we have those unlikely coincidences in real life? I mean if we look back at those significant moments in our life, we would realise that we have experienced some of those unlikely coincidences too.

David is 12 years old; he managed to escape from Bulgarian Forced Labour Camp and to travel alone to Denmark. The variation of characters is very interesting; the fellow prisoner, a sailor, a baker, an Italian family, and widowed artist, they all helped the boy, intentionally or unintentionally,  to reach his destination, and to discover his story.  And what I find more interesting is the message of the story which is to believe in the goodness of humanity.

 

This is one of the movie best quotes;

“Life wouldn’t be worth living without trust. Be cautious, but live fully and freely. Make friends and see the goodness in people or you’ll never find any happiness.”

Truth, isn’t it?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Universal language

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Image result for dictionaries

 

Have you ever understood anyone speaking not your language?

It can happen and it did happen.

Many years ago one of my neighbours was from Mexico. She moved to the UK with her husband and her little boy, about three years old. Whenever I saw her on the stairs or the road, she was talking to herself. My neighbours and I thought she might be insane but she wasn’t. One day I gave her a leaflet about the English course centre which I was attending at that time. I cannot describe how her face changed that day. She smiled and thanked me and I felt her words were coming deeply from her heart. From that day, we became friends though we didn’t understand each other that much, she used to say that she doesn’t know why she understood me more than anyone else in the city. Honestly, neither do I. I just used to repeat what others said to her.  I wish I could have her details to keep in touch because once we moved I don’t know whether she was still in the UK or went back to her country.

I remembered her and remember how we can understand others with a different tongue on the day of Eid.  I was sitting next to an elderly woman. Probably, she was from Pakistan. She couldn’t sit on the floor, her daughter and granddaughter brought her a chair. So I was sitting on the carpet next to her on a chair. While I was talking with a friend on my other side, she tapped on my shoulder and talked as if she knew me. I understood from her looks and the tune of her voice that she didn’t like how women are chatting and didn’t listen to the Imam’s Eid speech. This was true, I was talking too but this was because the Imam’s voice was too low, probably he didn’t notice that his speaker didn’t work well. I nodded and admitted that she was right and repeated in English what she was saying in her language. She held my hand and smiled at me which I think meant she was happy I understood her though I couldn’t speak her language.

Can this be a universal language?   I think there can be a language that we can feel even though we don’t understand.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla