Tag: life

daily prompt, Just writing

Collections Over the Years

nhpureandsimple

Do you have any collections?

Over the years, I kept one of the most unique collection I could have imagined to have. Friends.

But… I wish I could say I still have it.

Most of this collection faded into very pale colours; you can say it’s almost colourless.

This collection is related to my friends back home.

We haven’t been in contact for years.

I was one of the last to step into the world of social media, and when I did, I began searching for my old friends.

But then… those old friends are not the same.

And I am not the same.

So it was nice to find them, and to keep them in the album, even if in faded colours. 

And there’s another collection filled with colourful pictures but no album can keep them forever.

This one belongs to the many people I came to know and befriend after I stepped onto the British land. 

I loved this collection.

It was full of different colours, tongues, and traditions from all over the world. 

Can you believe it? I treasured this collection even more than the first.

But one can’t keep this collection in a single album. 

Some go back to their countries,

some leave for different ones,

and some, just like me, keep moving around, but still in the UK.

This collection turned into some unique photos and a once upon a time album

And… there is this special collection; the one that doesn’t relate to people but to… writing.

My posts.

They discover me, and I discover them.

This collection is renewable, and its album promises to never run out of pages.

With special collections thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

It’s Friday

nhpureandsimple

Yes, it’s Friday. 

This week’s gone in the blink of an eye.

Its long days matched its short nights.

You check the time and it’s ten in the morning and when you check again, it’s ten at night.

You go to bed, and before you even entre the phase of dreams, your morning alarm rings to wake you up. 

You hit snooze, pleading for a few minutes more.

And before your eyes relax, the alarm screams again, but this time straight into your ears.

Finally, you do wake up.

You drew the curtains and look at that quiet beatuty of the early morning.

And finally this Friday turns out be to a warm day.

By the way how do you say Friday in your language?

In Arabic we say جمعة Juma’a

I know in French it is vendredi

I forgot what’s it in Spanish.

What about yours? 

With blessed Friday thoughts,

 Nahla

Just writing

The Shepherd and The Wolf

nhpureandsimple

As I was teaching my daughter her Arabic lesson, we came across the story of The Shepherd and The Wolf. She already knew the story, but this time were using it mainly for learning some basic grammar.

Before we started our lesson, I asked her if she remembered the story.

‘I think so,’ she replied.

‘Brilliant. So what is it about?’

‘Little Red Riding Hood,’ she said and added a few others as options, none of them related to the one I’d asked about.

I couldn’t help laughing at these multiple choice answers that this young generation seems to master so well.

Now… it’s your turn.

Have you or your children heard of this story before?

If not, here it is:

Once upon a time, a young Shepherd was getting bored of his daily routine with the sheep. Everyone had the same chores to do and finish before the sun went down. They would wave hi and bye, and then hurry off to tend for their duties.

Day after day, the level of the Shepherd’s boredom exceeded the limits. 

Then one day, he came up with a silver idea, the one that would stir a bit of hustle and bustle in the small village.

That day, the Shepherd waited until the noon sun was shinning everywhere. He ran all the way to the top of the mountain and looked down at the people enjoying their noon meal. Then, he screamed and screamed and screamed.

‘The wolf is attacking my sheep. Help. Help!’ he yelled and yelled and yelled.

The people, old and young, men and women, left their chores, abandoned their meal, and ran up the hill all the way to rescue him.

Slippers, old shoes, sticks, pans, pots, and knives were their weapons. 

Breathless and exhausted, they reached the spot where the boy stood,

but there was no wolf, and the sheep were calm and happily grazing around.

The young shepherd apologised and explained how terrified he’d felt, hearing swishing and swooshing around, and thinking it must be a wolf.

The villagers sighed in relief and left the boy in peace.

Excited, the boy repeated the same show three times, each one with a different lie.

But the fourth time, the fake story became a real one.

A real wolf appeared, ready to play its role for a real drama.

The boy screamed nonstop,

His screams were earnest. ‘Help. Help. Please Help. The wolf is eating my sheep.’

But this time, his show didn’t win any audience.

The wolf grinned and hunted more and more.

The boy’s voice broke, and he could scream no more.

He finally realised that no one trusted him any more.

Wouldn’t it have been better if the young Shepherd had thought of some other exciting way to break his boredom without lying.

At the end of the day, even if some people smile and clap for the lair, they will neither trust nor respect them.

With never-be-the lying Shepherd thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

I have enough of it

nhpureandsimple

How do you feel about cold weather?

Really, I’ve had enough of cold weather this year.

It has worn every kind of hospitality.

Today, for example, is not only windy but also cold. 

Yesterday was cold.

The day before was freezing.

And the sun, it graced us with some light the day before the day before, but with no heat.

Imagine it’s the 20th of May, and you still grabbing your coat every time you step outside.

I would welcome Cold Weather, and I would even open all doors and windows with a big smile but only if it comes on time and leaves on time. 

But this year it has not only been stealing April but also May, and right in front of our eyes. 

Twice or more, it hit us hard with heavy hail, the kind that makes you rub your eyes, wondering whether the scene is real or just your imagination. 

Well.. I hope Summer arrives soon, but kindly, without any showing off of its heat power.

And please, Summer don’t be cruel and steal Autumn the way Winter did with Spring.

With enough cold thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

The River and Its Source

nhpureandsimple

I didn’t think I was going to write anything today until I randomly opened one of my old notebooks. Actually.. I was searching for a blank page to write down something before it slipped from my memory.

And then the miracle happened.

My eyes caught a quote from a book, and my brain insisted on giving it some workout.

By the way, do you also have this habit of saving the quote but neither the author’s name nor the book it came from?

Just curious to know whether I’m the only person who does this. 

Anyway, this is the quote: “To know a river, you have to know its source.”

So, according to my humble interpretation: to befriend a river, to communicate with it, and certainly to understand it, you have to know its source; how it flows, what kind of life it carries, and when it floods or dries.

Simply put, you have to know where it began, how it lived, and what shaped it.

Don’t you agree that some people are just like rivers.

You can’t truly know them until you know their sources; their history, their nature, their way of life, and certainly the reasons behind their tides.

With people-like-rivers, thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

The Journey With No Brands

nhpureandsimple

Years ago, my husband and I went to perform Hajj.

I think I once wrote a post about that journey, but I can’t remember which one.

Anyway, as hard as this trip was, it somehow turned out to be just as funny.

I think it was in 2005 when we took a flight to Egypt to leave my two little boys with family. I smile now as I write this post, but back then I wept buckets as we headed to Cairo Airport to take our flight to Saudi Arabia.

In this holy place, there is no place for brands or for showing off. 

I wore a white cotton dress, a white hijab, and simple slippers, just like most of the women.

By the way, women are allowed to wear any colour but I preferred white.

Simple and modest, women put on their clean dresses and hijabs out of obedience and respect for the holy rituals. No one would criticise or even think about the quality or the brand of anyone else’s clothes.

Isn’t this a beautiful picture to be part of and a beautiful memory to treasure.

I reckon no one would believe that my husband and I didn’t take any photos during this trip. 

Honestly, we didn’t.

Simply because, back then, phones were not allowed inside the holy mosque.

So no one would have taken photos to show what they were wearing, how they were praying, or how they were feeling.

Even outside, around the other sights, we didn’t bother taking pictures.

We lived precious moments that carved themselves deeply into our memories for years, and that’s more authentic than any captured photo.

Things have changed a lot these days.

Still, the holy rituals are not for any brands. 

With Hajj’s precious memories and thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Community — A Wonderful Word and World

nhpureandsimple

What do you do to be involved in the community?

Community makes a wonderful word and even a more wonderful world.

It makes you feel assured, supported, and welcome.

As people say, beginnings are always good, happy, and so promising. 

Once you step into it, you spread your wings and soar high, full happiness, as if you’ve just stepped into eternal heaven.

Does community, as a word and as a world, offer any guarantees of any form of utopia?

No.. but you were just hoping it would.

Sooner rather than later, you wake up from your utopian dreams.

It was nice to enjoy a bit of chilling time, though.

But then you understand how it’s just a miniature of the big world, with its earthly humans, yourself included. 

You come face to face with reality, 

You realise that there are the patient and the practical— the ones who can deal with different types of people.

And the there are the sensitive, who don’t have that kind of social stamina. Still they get involved and supportive as much as they can, but only at their own rhythm and within their own limits.

And… just as a piece of advice: when you get involved in a community, don’t expect any kind of utopia.

And for your own piece of mind, 

try as much as you can to mind your own business.

With more realistic community thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Bowling: Fun and Science 

nhpureandsimple

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

They say bowling is a science, more precisely physics and this subject has never been my favourite.

I don’t think everyone who plays bowling is thinking science… or do they?

Actually, I like bowling but not the science behind it. And that’s probably why my score is so bad. Always.

Once, a zero score kept me company until halfway through the game. It was so embarrassing that I have to use the barriers; otherwise, I would have gone home breaking the zero-score record and collecting the first embarrassment medal in the history of bowling.

Was it lack of concentration?

No way, because I think of nothing but hitting those shiny, twinkling pins.

Was it the heaviness of the ball?

But I check all of them, and pick the lightest one.

Or was it the power?

Well… I don’t blow the ball; I actually throw it down the lane.

So why do you think I didn’t score much? 

What’s wrong?

I throw the ball, but instead of rolling straight towards the target, which is the pins, it strays off, as if a magnet were  pulling it away.

The only reason I can think of is… Newton. 

Ever since that precious apple hit his head, his ideas have interfered with everything even in a simple bowling game.

Friction, gravity, and other physics concepts become part of the bowling game.

So probably, the more these concepts keep buzzing into your head, the more points you can score.

Perhaps I should really think science next time.

And that’s one of the simple things that needs urgent improvement in my life. 

With physics-bowling thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

F  R  U  I  T

nhpureandsimple

List your top 5 favorite fruits.

There are many delicious fruits other than the real, ripened ones we eat everyday.

They too need good seeds, healthy soil, and the quiet devotion of  care.

I don’t know, but it just struck me to get some beautiful concepts out of the word fruit itself. 

But first,  have you noticed that Fruit has five letters?

Do you think daily prompts do this on purpose?

Anyway here are the first concepts that came to my mind:

F for kindness 

R for respect

U for unique

I for imagination

T for tender

Imagine all these positive traits served on one plate.

Wouldn’t you feel blessed to have such sweet, nutritious fruits?

With positive fruit thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Finally… FICTION

nhpureandsimple

Yes, finally I’m back to fiction.

Phew… it took almost five months to pick a fictional book again.

I really enjoyed reading non- fiction over the last few months.

It wasn’t until yesterday that my brain started begging for a break, a pause from working on those complicated terms and scientific writings.

When I didn’t show any sign of objection, my brain seized the opportunity and explained that he was in dire need of breathing some literary prose, some metaphors, similes and idioms. 

I took a few sips of water, and he sighed deeply before continuing his complaint about how bored sick he felt reading those black- and-white paragraphs. He longed for… imagination with its colours, rhythms, and intrigues.

Request approved, I said.

And finally, I whispered to myself, feeling over the moon.

It was last night when I picked up an old fictional book.

Oh, the poor book has been waiting patiently for that exact moment.

“Welcome back,”he said.

I smiled and started reading.

With back- to -fiction thoughts,

Nahla