Tag: life

Daily thoughts

Reading Update

nhpureandsimple

I’ve just finished the second book on my reading list for this month. 

Such a big achievement after a few months of slow reading rhythm.

At the beginning of 2026, I lowered the number of books I hoped to read.

It feels better to meet the target than to miss it. 

So, for my reading challenge, I decided to keep my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds.

Soon, I will announce the good news of fulfilling my reading-challenge goal.

But of course, I will keep reading.

I’ve returned to fiction over the last two months.

Fiction is intriguing and interesting but that always depends on the book.

When you read a good book, you reach for more by the same author.

And if most of the books turn out to be so good, it becomes hard to turn to another author.

But then, at some point, you have to pause and tell yourself that it’s enough.

It’s time to discover a different world with a different author.

I’m already happily stuck with Lisa Wingate, and I don’t think I’ll turn away any time soon.

With reading-update thoughts,

Nahla

P.S.

Even cats love reading.

The photo is from the Cat Café in Malaysia.

daily prompt

Which Advice Is Best

nhpureandsimple

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Actually, I’ve learned so many good pieces of advice over the years.

Right now, I’m wondering which one might be the best.

Perhaps by the end of this post, I’ll make up my mind and nominate one as the best.

The first piece of advice that crossed my mind is not to eat a heavy meal at night. Some say it’s bad for digestion, and others say it brings awful nightmares. I appreciate this advice, but I’m not much of an eater anyway, and I rarely eat at night unless we’re on holiday, when your routine goes upside down.

The second piece is to make full use of permissions and not try to play the big hero. I learned this one by heart, and I’ve saved it in my mind ever since, always tied to its miserable memory. 

One day we were on our light back home from holiday. It happened to be during the holy Month of Ramadan. We are allowed to break our fast in some cases, and travelling is one of them. So my husband didn’t fast, but I did. Why? Because I thought it would be okay.  I don’t eat much anyway, and I rarely enjoy the flight food. But of course, it wasn’t okay. A terrible headache struck me, and when I tried to eat or even drink, I couldn’t. This is why I appreciate this piece of advice so much.

The third precious piece is to think positively, to see the cup as half full in any situation. But sometimes the mood loses its efficiency and sensibility, and suddenly the table turns on positivity.  Still this is one great piece of advice.

And then there’s this piece about kindness; do at least one good deed every day. This one is beautiful, and what makes it even more beautiful is its simplicity. Your deed doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive; it just needs to be genuine. I think this might be the best advice… but wait I’ve just remembered another one.

Stop following blindly, stop believing everything.

Isn’t this the best piece of all?

With best -advice thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Is There Anyone Who Doesn’t Worry?

nhpureandsimple

What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore?

Well… that reminds me of those old school years when I used to worry far too much about my grades.

Punishment, rewards, and competition were never the real reasons behind those childish worries.

A quiet, shy, dreamy child wouldn’t care much about such concepts, or would she?

But of course, somehow, they found a way to feed my worries. 

I used to worry about my grades because I was hardworking and independent in my learning.

My siblings and most of my friends took private lessons to improve their marks.

I didn’t have any… well except for French, but that was only because I didn’t like my French teacher at school.

So a child and later on a teenager, relying on her own self-learning strategy would naturally worry about her grades. Right.

And I never disappointed my parents, my teachers, or myself. 

Those old worries have now become good memories.

Years later, when I began my postgraduate studies, I didn’t worry  much about achieving perfect results.

Perhaps because a mother has far more important family duties in her heart than the pressure of flawless grades.

And when her sons are in their twenties and her daughter is fourteen, her worries naturally turn towards their choices and decisions, accompanied by a quiet prayer that God always guides them to the right path. 

Amen

With unworried thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Can It Be a Coincidence?

nhpureandsimple

What is your favorite quote?

I was scrolling through Insta for a while, then stopped when the notification for the limited time I had set popped onto the screen.

After that, I opened my reading book; the story is actually interesting, and I am planning to finish it today.

So, just after highlighting a quote, another notification appeared, but, this time, it was WordPress daily prompts.

I paused…

The quote I highlighted is one of my favourites, and the daily prompt asks about my favourite quote.

Can it be a coincidence?

Really.

I didn’t just highlight the quote, I lingered around certain memories. And that was exactly when the prompt appeared, as if nudging me not to lose the moment, to write about it now.

And here’s the quote:

“Forgiveness given is forgiveness gained.”

And here I am, writing about forgiveness.

But first, how do you see forgiveness?

Is it a merit or a fault?

Is it a strength or a weakness?

Is it possible or impossible?

You think… and decide.

As for me, I see Forgiveness exactly as that quote above.

It’s a win, a fair, clean win after an atrocious fight against painful memories, unforgettable hurts, professional lies.

Forgiveness doesn’t come with a silver spoon.

Since there’s a fight, things take time, a really long time, unless you’re an angel, a one-hundred precent angel, who can grant forgiveness straightaway.

Forgiveness shows up in its perfect timing.

This is when you appreciate how blessed, how saved, how strong you are,

when you close your eyes and recollect your bad moments,

and when you whisper to the Creator, asking for His forgiveness.

Then you remember you too need to forgive others.

Once the action is done with pure intention, your life feels brighter, wider, and healthier.

But… just a little note to pin; 

you don’t have to include forget in the forgiveness deal.

Nor do you have to befriend or keep in touch with those who hurt you.

Which means things don’t have to end like a dead-end road, but rather like two separate roads. 

You forgive and start yours.

They feel relieved and take theirs. 

Now… was the quote and the daily prompt a coincidence?

Maybe.

But… can it be a heavenly whisper to extend goodness?

With forgiveness thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

People, Basic Skills, and Cats

nhpureandsimple

What’s a skill you consider basic, that most people don’t actually know how to do?

If there’s a basic skill that most people don’t know, I think a superhero is urgently needed to reveal it.

But wait… superheroes don’t know basic skills, do they?

They mainly handle complicated missions with super-duper techniques.

So don’t expect superheroes to be any help with basic skills.

And if most humans need an instructor for basic skills, then they can rest aside for a bit.

Instead… can we think of other creatures who really know some basic skills most humans don’t?

No, please, don’t think of devils.

There are enough humans in devil’s clothing in the world.

Besides, all devilish “basic skills” would be nothing but devilish.

What about angels?

But angels are more protective than instructive.

They’re our pure guardians, not instructors.

What’s left?

Animals?

Yes, they can do.

Wouldn’t Darwin’s theory of “the Descent of Man” support this idea?

I’m not supportive of Darwin’s theory, but let’s pretend his argument was simply that animals know many basic skill most humans don’t.

Have you read I Am A Cat by Natsume Soseki?

I’m not sure if I ever wrote a review of this book.

Anyway, it crossed my mind as I was writing this post.

You know why?

Because the cat, this cute creature, was the main character and the narrator in the book.

And… she actually gives one of the most important basic skills I believe most humans don’t know, even though it’s very basic, and so simple.

Here’s the cat revealing the basic skill most people don’t do:

“In my opinion, there is nothing more unbecoming in the human type than its indecent habit of sleeping with the mouth open. Never in a lifetime would a cat be caught in such degenerate conduct. The mouth and the nose have their separate functions: the former is provided for the making of sounds and the latter for respiratory purposes.” 

Thanks, Cat, and I’m glad to say I’m well acquainted with this basic skills, and thank the Lord I’m saved from this indecent habit. 

With basic-skills-thoughts,

Nahla

holidays

Reading In July

nhpureandsimple

Well… I wish I could say I finished the book I started reading at the first of July, but I didn’t. 

People say you can read more during the summer holidays, 

but things went totally the opposite for me.

July was my least supportive month for reading.

It was a busy, buzzy month.

Still, my hopes were high, so high that I downloaded two books on Kindle.

I imagined that during the long flight to Malaysia, I would finish both books.

I even thought I would download and read more.

My plan vanished into thin air the moment I fastened my seatbelt on the plane.

Our outward and return flights were both early morning, too early to think of anything except falling asleep.

And then, we arrived full of enthusiasm, couldn’t wait to start our new adventure.

I set my book aside, promising to pick it up before going to bed.

But then, at bedtime, I felt not only tired but awfully drained.

‘Tomorrow at breakfast, I will do some reading,’ I promised my book.

The poor book trapped on Kindle app, sighed and moaned and shed a few tears.

The following day, I woke up late, missed my breakfast, and rushed to get ready to explore more of the city with my family.

‘I broke my promise,’ I remembered and vowed to grab a few moments for reading at any time during the day.

The same routine, with the same unfulfilled promises, repeated day after day. 

Then one day, I woke up with a sore throat, really sore, and blocked ears and nose. 

‘Relax today,’ I decided, and grabbed my iPad to clear the air with my poor book.

The book tittered and muttered as I ruffled through the pages, looking for the page I stopped at.

I had no energy to argue or fight or make peace.

I escaped from the kindle app to WordPress.

Sipping my lemon tea, I wrote a few posts. Two or three? I’ll check the accurate number later.

So even if my reading was poor in July, writing came to the rescue of productivity by adding a few writing pieces during the holiday month.

With July-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla 

holidays

Thanks, Malaysia

nhpureandsimple

Dear Malaysia,

Despite the long flight,

the seven hour time difference,

the heat,

the humidity,

the heavy traffic,

and the unexpected cold I caught,

we have had a wonderful holiday and a memorable experience. 

The people we met were kind, respectful, and content.

Your food was a bit different, but there are always alternatives.

And nature is another story. 

When one walks along those big parcs, they feel lost in their beauty:

the high trees,

the colourful flowers,

the cute birds,

the funny squirrels,

the small ponds,

the big rivers,

and those skyscrapers hills.

How funny the monkeys “keep your distance” sign looks in the parks.

The sight of some crossing the road or climbing the trees would make you laugh, even if you’re not a monkey fan.

And those long lizards crawling out of the green bushes would give you a jump.

What else you have been storing for your visitors, Malaysia?

Oh yes, you still have plenty:

the beautiful mosques with their unique, authentic architecture,

the holy Quran printing centre, which is the second largest in the whole world. 

the river cuises,

the big shopping malls, 

the cute cat cafe,

the coconut buns,

the frozen yogurt,

and the boiled sweetcorn cobs that I haven’t tasted in ages.

I know you, Malaysia,  have more beautiful treasures, but that’s all we could see on our holiday.

Perhaps we can see more next time.

Thanks again for the kind hospitality.

With summer-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla 

 

daily prompt

Apology From The Sleeping Beauty

nhpureandsimple

What is the best excuse you have heard lately?

“Sorry, but I’ve no energy to even open my eyes.

It’s my catnap time.

And the heat is getting the most of me.

I’m not in the mood to play anytime soon.

Maybe later at night.

But you won’t find me in this spot.

I’ll wander around to look for some yummy food.

Wish me luck.”

The cat whispered and meowed. 

Isn’t that the best excuse from such a cute cat?”

Me and my daughter tried to wake this sleeping beauty up, but she didn’t want to.

But we understand.

We apologised too for we can’t wander and play around at night.

Perhaps we’ll meet again.

But thanks for making a good memory. 

With apology thoughts,

Nahla 

personal thoughts, Philosophical musings

Can Experience Alone Shape Us?

nhpureandsimple

Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are?

Are we shaped by experience or shaped by who we are?

This is not as easy as it looks. 

At first glance, I said: experience.

Life teaches us how to live through the many experiences we gain day after day.

And… the more experiences we have, the more we change along the way.

So yes, experience does shape us.

But wait a minute…

I re-read the whole thing again.

Doesn’t us or we came before experience?

Yes, it’s who we are that first exists and shapes us.

Experience follows.

Experience offers possibilities and changes.

Yet, who we are is the root of our life tree.

Or, better put, who we are is made of a special fabric woven from too many threads.

There are certain things that make us but can’t be changed; things like our souls, our origin, and our families. 

Yes, I know everything can be changed nowadays, including some of the things I just mentioned, but you can’t erase them from your “who you are” identity.

After each and every experiences you live through life, it’s “who you are” that manages it in the way “ who we are” wants. 

Is your head spinning right now?

Mine is, but only because of the AC, which I don’t like at all. But in some places, it is the most convenient way to survive on holiday in a tropical country. 

So, back to this life shaping player.

Simply, we are shaped by who we are.

Out of each and every experience, we’re the ones who decide whether to learn the lesson, to ignore it, or to destroy it.

Some experiences may push us to be cruel, savage, or selfish.

But in the end, it’s us who decide whether to follow the experience’s recommendations or not.

With who-shape-us-thoughts,

Nahla

holidays

Jet Lag, Humidity, and Writing

nhpureandsimple

A flight with almost fourteen hours and a three hours transit, is not easy at all.

If you’re accustomed to these long… really long flights, then you really deserve an award for endurance.

I think I deserve two, since this is my first holiday with such a long journey.

Perhaps I deserve three, since this flight also comes with a big time difference.

Three or two hours difference wouldn’t be such a big deal.

But… wait, 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7 hours make a significant difference.

Time suddenly feels as if it’s going in opposite directions.

In the morning, you drag yourself out of bed, your eyes so heavy that you fall asleep again everywhere, at any moment. 

At night, you feel wide awake, and surprisingly hungry and ready for outdoor activities.

Breakfast time becomes dinner time and dinner becomes breakfast.

The sun that plays tricks on you in the Uk is now punctual, serious, and happy.

How happy?

So happy that she’s laughing all the time, watching people out and about in sunglasses, hats, and face fans; all enjoying her majesty’s presence. 

Rain visits often but, lightly so far, as if trying to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, the mood refuses to be lightened because of humidity.

And humidity is that heavy, sweaty, stick neighbour no one likes.

And finally, after those first confused, steamy, lazy days, a gentle nudge of writing arrived, with a smooth landing, to save these funny moments in this post.

With July-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla