Tag: life

memories

Wives, Husbands, And Household Appliances

nhpureandsimple

One day, while mowing the long grass in my garden, the lawnmower began a weird noise, and then smoke come out of it. I ran to unplug it. Everything was under control with no serious damage caused.

The following day (or week) I seized the opportunity that my husband was working from home and asked him to go with me to buy a new one. Since, the store was not far from home, he agreed.

It was a hot summar day, and my husband, clutching the heavy box, was drenched in sweat.

‘That’s why one shouldn’t work from home,’ my husband grumbled.
‘That’s why one should work from home every now and then,’ I said, stifling a laugh.

We arrived home safe and sound. My husband left the box in the kitchen and ran upstairs.
‘Aren’t you going to help me fix it?’ I called after him.
‘I’ve got a meeting, but give me a shout if you need any.’

I opened the box, took everything out, and gathered all the emply packaging. For a moment, I thought whether to throw away the cardboard, but decided against it. I grabbed the manual which I always found useless. I tried my best to put things together, but that mower, though small, was more complicated to put together. After a dozen attempts, I managed to fix the handle, but there was some wires I had no idea where to place. So, I shouted for help and waited for my husband, who promised to come in as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, I dismantled all the pieces I had put together and made me a nice cup of tea.

‘Oh, you haven’t started anything.’ My husband wondered, and I knew he wished half the job was alreafy done.
‘I did, but things didn’t work. So, it’s your turn to fix it.’
‘At least you could have made me a cup of tea like yours.’
‘I will, but only after you fix it.’I said with a smile.

My husband crouched on the floor, trying to put things together, asking me loads of questions as if I was the one who had invented the machine.

”I’ll try later.’ He gave up.
‘But it won’t get fixed. Something is wrong. Can you just take it back to the store and ask them to assemble it.’

Grumbling and murmuring under his breath, my husband asked about the box and the receipt. I whispered a thankful prayer that I hadn’t torn and bin them.

An hour passed, and my husband neither came home nor called. I finally called him.

‘Why is it taking so long?’
‘They can’t fix it. They called an expert to check it, but he couldn’t either. I got a refund.’ My husband said, sounded both happy and relieved.

‘So, you’re coming home.’
‘No, I’m going to work.’

With hope and peace,

Nahla

P.S. I know the photo is not related to the topic of my post, but l love nature. Isn’t it better than a lawnmower?

daily prompt

Why is the world so cruel?

nhpureandsimple

Have you ever been camping?

What’s the first thought that crossed your mind when you read the word “Camping”?


The fun times, family holidays, starry nights, games, laughter, and the warm campfire. Am I right?

Now, have you ever thought about the people living in the heart of this world who have no choice but to live in camps with very basic qualities and facilities? These are people who, not only face unimaginable hardships, but have been forced to move, perhaps every single day, just to escape death and live one more hour of life with what remains of their family.

There, in those heartbreaking camps, starry nights are full of danger, and days full of hard work. Children’s eyes are full of tears and fear. Mothers and fathers dig life with their nails, striving for their families’ survival. The old and the young alike give everything they have, to help, to survive, and to tell the world how their camps know no fun, no peace.

Why is the world so cruel? And don’t blame God. Those innocent people despite all their misery, never do, because that’s not God’s doing. When you believe that life is temporary, you’ll definitely understand that evil will never last– just like fire, which eating and destroying itself.

Isn’t it ironic that some believe Adam’s forgiveness guarantees his offsprings the same blessing, regardless of their deeds? But, Adam committed just one sin, yet he spent his whole entire life repenting, working hard, learning, and nurturing his pure soul. Adam’s hands had no blood, his heart felt no hatred, and his soul knew no greed.

I’m sorry to disturb your rosy memories of camping.

I only hope that you would at least pray for those who are suffering in other camps– camps that know no roses, no sweet dreams.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

It’s Not Hard

nhpureandsimple

When do you feel most productive?

You feel most productive when you achieve something – small or big, simple or complicated, slow or quick. So, you have to achieve something to feel productive – whether the most productive or a bit productive, right?

By the way, I think that productive achievement doesn’t need to be innovative. It could be something you’re doing everyday or once a week, or it may even be a long -‐awaited step that’s finally taken. However, this thing has to stir and fill you with positive feelings, like pleasure and contentment. In the end, it’s not just about the achievement itself, but about how it impacts your well-being.

I feel most productive when I focus on the things I love, and when I let go of the worries about the things I don’t.

It’s not hard to feel productive when it flows naturally, but it becomes hard when you try to force it.

With hope and peace,

Nahla



Just writing

Your Post Title

nhpureandsimple

Do you think of your post title before or after writing a post?

For me it depends on whether my ideas and thoughts are flowing or stuck inside my head. If they are flowing, I will hurry to write them down and then think about the title. If they are stuck, I’ll take my time thinking about the title until I  know what to write about. Once I fix the title, my thoughts will start flowing into my new piece.

You know that sometimes, I forget all about the title and press “Publish”. But, since I usually check whether my post is published, I quickly notice that most important element of my post – its title –is missing, and I add it. I hope you haven’t noticed that, have you?

But don’t you think that the title of your post or book not only highlights and introduces the idea of your piece, but it is also part of your voice as both a writer and a person? I really find it interesting to think this way because your voice reflects how you feel when you’re talking, and writing is a unique, creative method of talking.  And since, you’re human, you experience different feelings that, willingly or not, will be reflected in your piece. (But, of course, that’s different with the news articles, as their titles, in most cases, have no genuine voice and are issued under authorised policy.)

People say you can’t judge a book only by its cover, right? But may I make a tiny addition and say that you can judge a book by its title because its the first thing you as a reader hear and feel about its writer.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt

Can you guess what it is?

nhpureandsimple

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

There are many risks I’ve taken that I don’t regret, and I’m sure I’ve written about them in my posts. Some might be easy to notice, while others might just need a bit more focus to find. But today, what’s popped into my mind is something different. It’s related to my WordPress blog–something that I know would affect my blog. Still I took the risk, and have never regretted it.

Can you guess what it is?  Have you noticed it?

When I first started  my blog, I was (and still am) determined not to connect it with my other social media accounts. I was just thinking of my blog as something special–a quiet, small conder away from the choes of my other accounts. I knew back then this choice wouldn’t bring me more audience, visitors, followers, or likes to my blog. I knew that all. Still I took the risk, and I don’t regret it, because I am still writing. And, in that quiet, small corner I call Pure and Simple I appreciate you all–my special readers.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

holidays

The Easter Holiday– Part Two

nhpureandsimple

So, as I spent a few days coughing and sneezing, I decided to pause writing until I felt better. My decision was not approved by my mind. We started a fight–I insisted on pausing, while my mind, full of rage, making my headache even worse, kept pushing ideas into my head even invading my dreams. I ignored it, and when I turned my attention to other things, it surrendered.

First, I began with my French lessons. I noticed that I had been awarded a three– day Duolingo Max trial for my hard work. It offered real–life conversation practice which turned out to be such a great fun. Do you know why? Because when you’re having a bad cold, all your letters sounded hilariously different. In my case, with this terrible, awful cold, not only my pronunciation was affected, but also my hearing. So, the real–life conversation practice turned into a comical episode. We would start talking about one thing and end up talking about something totally different, with many words lost in between.

However, I was shocked by my poor performance during this real–life conversation practice. I thought I was doing very well–which is true for reading, partially true for listening, and average for writing. But when it came to actual conversations, my Arabic, English, and French clashed with each other. The outcome was so funny, so poor.

Next, I checked my reading challenge progress, which is moving at a turtle’s pace. But I don’t really mind as I am not planning to break the Guinness World Record for reading speed. So, I decided to finish the book I started at the beginning of this month: Sixpence in Her Shoe. I came across this book while reading another. Piqued with curiosity, I wanted to see how it tackled the topic of being a housewife.

The book turned out to be good and enjoyable to read though, to be honest, I skipped many parts that had so many details– sections about furniture, houses prices and locations, housekeeping, food recipes, kitchen equipment, and more aspects of life from the sixties of the last century. However, overall, it provides both amusing and expressive arguments about what it is like to be full-time housewife and why it is considered the best profession for women. Thank God the book didn’t disappoint me.

By the way, if you decide to switch off your social media accounts, say, for a few days, do you think you’d miss much?

I wouldn’t, and  this exactly how I feel about being a full–time wife and mum. I believe I haven’t missed much, but I know I would have if I hadn’t.

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 – having neither tasted the various, mouthwatering dishes nor savoured their warm, wafting aroma.

Sometimes, we want something now – right now, this very moment–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 – earning more money, gaining more possessions, and suffering more 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

personal thoughts

A Bittersweet Life Lesson

nhpureandsimple


There are beautiful lines in Arabic that explain why some people choose to disappear from your life, and why you shouldn’t ask about their whereabouts. I’ve just read them a few days ago, and here’s my translation:

If they were honest with you, they would have stayed,
If they were missing you, they would have come back,
If they were angry at you, they would have complained,
And if they truely loved you, they would have wept.
But sometimes, things are just like that.
Those who have chosen to disappear from your life are the ones who have used you to their full capacity.

Aren’t these lines so true?

But don’t worry, because some people come into your life to give you bittersweet lessons that help you grow into a better person.


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

personal thoughts

Is That Possible?

nhpureandsimple

As usual I was scrolling through Instagram last night when I came across a post that, in my view,  was quite strange. The vlogger’s video briefly showed his ‘Loving All’ motto. Do you get it? Let me explain more.

Throughout the video, the vlogger was holding different posters, which he changed one after the other. Each poster has one main sentence, beginning with ‘ I love’ and  the rest of the sentence referred to different things — different, but not necessarily opposites. Honestly, I don’t doubt his good intentions or his attempt to spread kindness and love. The problem is that my mind couldn’t understand his ‘loving all’ logic. Let me give you an example that, by the was way, wasn’t in any of his posters, but similar to the idea of his examples.

Suppose one day, you pass by a person holding a sign which read : “I love pork. I love halal food.” I don’t know how would you react. Perhaps, you wouldn’t even notice him or his sign, and keep on walking. I would definitely walk on too, but, to be honest, I wouldn’t forget about the sign.

If the person were a Muslim, I would wonder why on earth he was saying that, considering the whole world knows that Muslims don’t eat pork. If he was not, I would first wonder whether he understands that this combination is impossible? Then I would wonder why he didn’t just use ‘eat’ or ‘can’ instead of ‘love’. Love is such a strong word, full of feelings, whereas ‘like’ is simpler, more casual,  right? To love something means to accept all of it, and if you accept all of it, it’s impossible to accept what can’t be a part of it? This is why the two sentences together seem awkward. Does this make any sense? I hope it does.

I love it when I go to London, which doesn’t happen often because of the distance. I like to watch people of different sizes, colours, and cultures crossing the same road together. They probably don’t know each other, don’t have to love each other, but there some sort of understanding and respect filling the air around them.

Can a person love everyone and everything? Is it possible to repeat ‘Amen’ to everything, even without listening ? But then, what would you become? And, where would you stand?


With hope and peace,



Nahla