Tag: life

Just thinking

April and Still No Fiction

nhpureandsimple

The thing is, you start reading a book and find a reference to another.

So you make a note to check that book.

You like it, you read it, and the cycle goes on.

That’s how my readings began this year.

I’d set my mind on reading non-fiction from the first of January.

I thought things would change back to fiction soon,

but non-fiction is still the dominant one.

Right now, for example I read about herbs and alternative medicine.

Even though I skip many sections, mostly experiments and pure scientific parts, I still enjoy the rest.

It’s good to learn different things, even if your knowledge is only a tiny bit of the whole work.

And it’s definitely great if, from that morsel of understanding, you don’t stand tall and proud pretending you’ve become an expert. 

Anyway, in one of the books I finished recently, I came across this funny but meaningful quote: 

“Emotions are like parents …, annoying and cumbersome, pushy and old-fashioned, but probably doing things for our own good.”

And honestly, the quote doesn’t need any philosophical explanation. Right?

It was mainly an extract from a serious psychological idea.

Can you guess what it is from the quote?

Have you ever thought about “unwanted thoughts” ?

Those unwanted thoughts are part and parcel of our emotions

So, when you can’t face reality, they simply find enough room to settle into your mind.

But, these unwanted thoughts are like signals—

an alarm clock trying to catch your attention,

to wake you up,

to push you towards the challenge,

and even to change or fix things.

If you don’t cooperate with the signal, 

if you keep snoozing the alarm, 

those unwanted thoughts will turn into a kind of torture,

or a useless burden you carry for no reason.

The author’s idea, as I understand, is to treat unwanted thoughts as a kind of blessing—

a friend in need, 

or even like your parents.

They come mainly to wake you up,

to help you face reality.

If you don’t take the cue, they stay.

And that’s how they become a useless burden.

Get the idea?

Hopefully you do.

With alarming  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 I’m not actually interested, not right now.

Actually… I don’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 aren’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 — 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.

Actually… they can’t be manipulators.

They always in the open — 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 flying–kite show, which one will you choose?

I would definitely choose the flying-kites show.

And that’s why I like kites and don’t like marionettes.

With free-soaring thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

He Thought He Owned The Mine

nhpureandsimple

Some people carry this ego that swells until it bursts.

Have you ever met anyone like that?

There’re plenty of them — especially on the news.

By the way, I borrowed the title from this old saying: 

I not only thought I had struck gold, I also thought that I owned the mine.

Isn’t it so true?

After one success, some feel they are the best in the world.

After one massive profit, some believe they control the entire market.

After reaching the king’s throne, some imagine they will rule the whole world. 

Nonsense.

The predecessors of this kind — with all their knowledge, wealth, and power — left the world not only empty-handed, but with a history marked by shame and disgrace.

People remember that kind for their evils, just as a reminder, a moral lesson, a path we’re warned not to follow.

Has your mother ever warned you not to listen to the whispers of the devils?

Haven’t you ever wondered how some people have excelled the devil in his own craft?

Actually, the devil himself would be so astonished by the high level those people reach that he might apply for early retirement before his eternal journey back home to hell.

By the way, the saying above doesn’t apply to these ego-swollen humans.

Here it is again; 

I not only thought I had struck gold, I also thought that I owned the mine.

It applies to those with a nagging conscience — those ones who admit their mistakes and try not only to fix them but also to learn from them.

Though the devils know their mistakes; in fact, that’s what they live for and by, they neither fix them nor learn from them.

But for humans, it is never too late to learn.

Isn’t it.

 

With humble human thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Winter in April

nhpureandsimple

It’s April, and how it arrived so quickly, I’ve no idea.

But according to the calendar: it’s officially the first of April.

But why are you stretching the heavy blanket of winter?

You’re supposed to bring spring with its warm sun, blue sky, and colourful flowers.

Up to this very moment, it’s freezing cold here,

and rainy,

and the only colourful flowers are the ones in the supermarkets.

Not only that, you’re bringing along news of an unexpected guest: the wind.

She’s planning a short stay for two days soon, I heard.

Honestly, earlier that day, I thought it might be one of your fool tricks.

But no — it wasn’t.

You’ve just announced, clear and clean, that winter’s mood is still on.

But March announced that the summertime is already here, 

with a promise of long, bright days.

What’s wrong this year?

If you had a fight with long March,

or if you’re simply confused by the chaos in the world,

please don’t make us scapegoats for others’ madness.

Anyway, welcome April—

and thank you for the spark of sun that shone just as I finished this post.

Is this a promise of new hope.

Please be kind.

With kind and hopeful thoughts, 

Nahla

Just writing

Yes, definitely — it’s Light

nhpureandsimple

Well.. it’s rainy and windy here in my place.

Really, the weather has been so unsettling over the last week, 

and the week before,

and perhaps the week before the week before. 

Fine. 

It’s been like that for a while,

and this ’while’ might be days, 

or months,

or even years.

But today isn’t so grey as it used to be.

The sky is bright,

not too bright,

but bright enough to show some of its hidden light.

The kind of long awaited light you expect to see at the end of the tunnel,

for you don’t want to walk along a narrow tunnel all of your life, do you?

You sure want to get out,

to breathe the fresh air,

to feel the warmth of the sun,

and the gaze at that magnificent azure in the clear sky.

It’s Light, you scream.

Definitely light, your tears roll down your face.

Perhaps your prayers for 

hope,

peace,

and…

justice. 

are finally being answered. 

With light and bright thoughts,

Nahla

Philosophical musings

Creditors and Debtors

nhpureandsimple

It feels like I haven’t posted in so long, though it’s only been a week or even less.

But when one gets busy, the mind can’t concentrate in too many things at once, can it?

By the way, this post isn’t about money.

They say creditors have better memories than debtors. 

And of course, that makes perfect sense in the financial world. 

The lender with the upper, steady hand would by all means save, register, and arrange all the details of the transaction. 

On the other side, the borrower, with the lower, shakier hand, would delay, delete, or even freeze any memory of what’s owed or what should be paid back.

Right.

Now… do things work the same way in the non–financial sides of life?

In those close relationships — with family, friends, neighbours, and even those brief but meaningful acquaintances who pass through our days?

Would there still be creditors and debtors?

And if so, who would you think have a better memory?

Well… things happen, right?

But let’s stay on the positive side.

Love, kindness, forgiveness, and all the other beautiful traits we offer to those close, special ones — comes with no conditions, no deadlines for return, no legal action to take, and no double interest added for any delay. 

So no— there are no creditors, no lenders in these relationships.

There are only the givers, with calm, warm hands,

who save a good memory with no alignment, no regret, and no remorse.

The receivers here are not borrowers with shaky hands.

No.

They are the blessed, the fortunate ones.

They can even hold a better memory than the givers, if only they honour kindness with gratitude. 

Sometimes we just need to think positively.

even when the world seems to focus only on creditors and debtors. 

Still, there are kind humans and grateful ones

too.

With kind and grateful thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Reading Psychology

nhpureandsimple

Well… I’m pretty sure one of my recent posts was about the change in my reading genre. 

Reading and Mood Change

So far, I am following the plan just fine—reading nonfiction. 

Recently, I’ve started reading some psychology.

My first encounter with this subject was in my final year of high school, many years ago.

Honestly I remember nothing of those lessons except the teacher herself— even her name has slipped away. I remember her loud voice and sharp gaze, but I can’t get any closer to her name. 

But I do remember the name of my teacher from my first year of primary school.

Strange, isn’t it.

I loved my first primary teacher and I wept buckets when she left and moved away with her husband. 

Anyway, my psychology teacher crossed my mind as I stole a little time for reading. Time is tight these days, with Eid celebrations almost knocking on the door.

So… according to psychology, our memory machine is not only selective, but also clever and cruel. It doesn’t come with a button we can press to “save all” or “delete all.”

No.

It works professionally, by using its own unique selective strategy. 

It mainly saves the things you like the most, hate the most, or the things that hold your full concentration and consciousness.

Memory is not like history, which keeps a record of everything, though sometimes with some alterations and even some big lies.

Memory is a trustworthy keeper. It writes the minutes of the things that truly matter in your life, even those small details, those passing emotions, or those quiet, special moments.

And sometimes, out of the blue, it brings back one of those memories from many years ago.

Something that can make you smile, cry, or simply wonder as time pulls you back in a split second.

You find yourself back in that classroom, learning psychology, having no idea that years later you would be reading a psychology book explaining why you can’t remember your teacher’s name.

Simply because you neither loved or hated her, your memory saved only what had caught your attention back then — the special tone of her voice and her sharp gaze

And… thanks to psychology, I found the little distraction that inspired me to write this post.

With these reading–psychology thoughts,

Nahla 

Philosophical musings

Seek Simplicity But…

nhpureandsimple

Can you guess the rest of the quote ?

Here’s it all:

“Seek simplicity but distrust it.”

How dare Mr Alfred Whitehead doubt the sincerity of Simplicity?

I started this blog and named it “Pure and Simple” for the sake of simplicity—and then comes this quote, accusing simplicity of being untrustworthy.

I know my philosophical musings may, sometimes, give you a headache,

or leave you a little lost,

or even bored. 

Do they?

But this doesn’t mean distrust, does it?

Oh my… 

It’s just crossed my mind that I’ve muddled things up.

Poor Mr Alfred isn’t accusing Simplicity at all.

Actually his quote is in favour of simplicity, not against it.

Simplicity is about the art of simplification.

So instead of leaving us with one whole rock, simplicity can soften it into clay—something we can handle and understand. 

In other words, simplicity gently breaks the complex into smaller, simpler pieces.

Then it breaks those pieces into very tiny ones.

They may scatter into a maze, or a little a mess, 

but they become more flexible—easier to explore, enjoy, and read.

That’s when Distrust arrives with a warning:

Don’t mistake simplicity for nonsense.

Don’t mistake it for weakness.

And definitely don’t mistake it for superficiality.

So, finally, with a big sigh of relief,

I’m happy I came across this quote today.

It feels like a little booster to stay on the path of Simplicity.

With pure and simple thoughts,

Nahla

P.S.

I only discovered this philosopher through this quote—just in case you think I’m well-versed in his philosophical works for I am not.

Just writing, Philosophical musings

The indelible Pencil

nhpureandsimple

They say this kind of pencils exists.

Have you seen or used one?

As far as I can remember, I haven’t had the honour yet.

So… whatever this unique pencil writes, draws, or even scribbles will never be erased nor changed.

Right?

Apparently, the only way to get rid of its powerful effects is to either tear the page into pieces or burn it altogether.

But just a moment… does this indelible pencil remind you of something?

What else can’t be erased?

What else can’t be changed?

What else can’t be manipulated?

Don’t think too much?

It’s Reality.

It’s been written by this indelible pencil.

Such a bold, sharp, steady word.

Some might try to hide it, erase it, or bury it.

Still, it stands clear and firm.

Without shouting, 

without lies,

without pretension, 

it waits with a smile, proud of its existence and confident in its triumph.

The indelible pencil smiles too, as it watches those pencils with erasers being binned one after another.

By the way, do you think our thoughts are written by an indelible pencil?

But that doesn’t make any sense.

Because… we can erase them, or change them.

Things might be hard,

but not impossible.

And…

don’t forget: the pencil your mind uses has an eraser.

With real and clear thoughts,

Nahla

 

Philosophical musings

Sanity

nhpureandsimple

If you’re still checking your sanity these days, you should be grateful.

Because this means you’re sane, with a sound brain, a beating heart, and a functional memory.

And congratulations

if you still have enough logic to make accurate conclusions.

if you can still see properly, not only your reflection.

if you still can hear others, not only your own voice.

if you can still feel this inner voice that reprimands, blames, or even nags you to think twice before making a decision.

Insane people have none of those capabilities.

None at all.

Truth and lies become equal.

Hate and love become equal.

Good and evil become equal.

Even worse, 

they know no morals, no respect, no dignity.

And…

they believe they are the only sane ones on this earth.

And some people applaud them, 

nod in approval,

and pray the Almighty will bless the insane.

Bless the insane?

You wonder, bending over laughing — and your sanity replies: 

Congratulations, you’ve just passed your sanity test. 

With sane thoughts,

Nahla