Tag: new year

Just writing

So… how was your first morning in 2026? 

nhpureandsimple

Quiet.

Really quiet. 

It seems even the birds decided to wake up late or maybe take the day off, just as humans do on the first of January. 

There was no transport noise.

No people walking around.

Surprisingly, it was sunny,

but it was also bitterly cold.

I looked out of the window and inhaled all that pure quietness.

No picture can capture the beauty of a quiet, fresh morning the way your own eyes do.

January, the most hopeful month, has just arrived and opened its doors with new hopes and dreams.

How can people trade the first morning of January for the last night of December? 

I have no idea!

I wondered for a moment, then hurried off to make breakfast. 

With quiet thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

With hope and peace

nhpureandsimple

Over 2025, I often ended my posts with ”with hope and peace.”  

Did you notice that?

Actually, I am not sure if it started at the beginning or somewhere halfway through. It just slipped there one day at the end of a post, and I stayed with it.

It was a desperate attempt to support innocent people who have suffered and are still suffering all over the world, simply to live a safe and decent life.

Perhaps… you can think of it as a whispered prayer— one you, as a reader, might feel and answer by whispering back ”Amen.”

Do you believe in the power of the prayers?

I do.

May the new year be full of hope and peace!

Amen.

And… 

With a new beginning,

Nahla

Just writing

Is It Already the End of 2025?

nhpureandsimple

It feels like only yesterday that 2025 began.

But isn’t this life? 

Everything moves on.

Good and bad moments go on.

And here we are again, thinking about new resolutions for the new year.

Honestly, I can’t even remember the ones I planned last year. 

They seem to evaporate into thin air the moment I say them.

But… this doesn’t really matter.

I’ve achieved what I could achieve.

And I’ll always think of new ones.

Anyway… 

It’s wonderful to have plans, and even better to follow and achieve them. 

But… isn’t it a good idea to add some flexibility to this long list of goals?

A few possibilities,

And perhaps a few… changes

They say the straight line gives the shortest distance.

But we can never know what we will experience along the way, can we?

Unexpected things might happen.

And sometimes the unexpected is far better than the expected, for at least this unexpected is out of our control.

So… yes 2025 is almost done, but 2026 will be knocking on the door soon.

Bringing new dreams, new plans, and new surprises.

But, isn’t a new year just like a new day? 

Both pass in a blink of an eye.

And at the end of each, we usually look back and see how much we’ve achieved out of our list of plans?

But what about the things that never make it onto the list; those things we try our best to maintain and protect?

Things like our peace of mind, our sanity, our health, our safety, our resilience, … 

Or what about the things that we attain without buying, without forcing, without acting?

Things like love, respect, and loyalty. 

Aren’t these things far more precious than the goals we write down on our lists? 

By the end of any long day, some people have a good night sleep, while others can’t even close their eyes to sleep.

So… wouldn’t it be better to appreciate what can be lived, rather than what can be simply written on a list? 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Have you missed it?

nhpureandsimple

The New Year celebration bonfires?

I haven’t.

The city where I live now is so quiet that even the New Year celebrations were not fussed about. When I got up on the morning, I asked my husband whether he heard any bonfires? He said no, and I smiled, feeling so happy we moved to live here.

Isn’t it becoming too much of a waste of money, time, and peace? Ironically, these lavish celebrations smashed people’s calls and prayers for abundance, wisdom, and peace into a big, thick wall. They already dumped them all into the void, making all these virtues nothing.

Do you think one day people will stop taking part in this madness, these sophisticated competitive celebrations? Would they be satisfied with simple celebrations at home with family, and friends?

Some would say simplicity is not commercial, not entertaining, not profitable, and that’s the ethos of celebrations. But what all these things have to do with making a genuine, healthy, memorable moment?

You wouldn’t regret missing the bonfires celebrations, but you would definitely miss your peace of mind if you didn’t.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Knock knock

nhpureandsimple

Who’s knocking?

‘It’s me, the New Year,’ your visitor says.

You open the door and there is your visitor, having travelled a long journey, about 365 days, to visit you just before sunrise when it’s all quiet. Your visitor is smiling, arms open wide, eyes sparkling, in neat, elegant clothing, and smelling of a fresh, morning breeze perfume that wafts through the door and fillles you, and your place.

You seized the – once – in – a year encounter, and prattled about lots of things: the fire works celebrations, the – once – in – a life time trip to celebrate the New Year on the Caribbean or the moon, the special romantic night, the list of your last year’s fulfilled resolutions, the list of complaints about your misfortunes and bad luck, and the list of your sheer luck achievements. (Please feel free to add the things most of us usually think at each and every new year.)

‘Have you changed? The newcomer asks after listening patiently to all that details.

Struck by the question, you stammer, thinking for a minute or two and then say; ‘Of course, with all those details and things I have changed. I should have changed. Everything changed, and is changing. Just wait and see how the New Year celebrations will look next year.” You said the words, full of confidence, gazing at your visitor who looks the same as ever.

Your visitor smiles, seeming to read your mind. ‘Changes don’t have to be mainly physical. And, thanks for the celebrations.’

‘What’s piece of advice are you giving me this year?’ You ask.

‘A new year is a new chapter. Editing your writing font colours and styles makes no significant change to your chapter. It’s the content that does. What you write, what you say, and what you feel is what making your chapter worth reading, and celebrating. Besides, as long as you live, there’ll always be a new chapter to live, to write, and to celebrate whether it’s January or any other month of the year.

‘Oh, I will think about that. Do you want to know my new plans for this year?’ You ask.

‘Does anyone have to read your chapter before it’s done? I’m sure you’ll share it next year,’ the visitor says and leaves.



With all the best wishes,

Nahla







Just writing

2017

nhpureandsimple

Have you achieved your goals for 2017?

One of the many things I have planned to achieve in 2017 was to PASS my driving practical test (I think I have taken more lessons than anyone else) My husband used to say that the money I spent on driving lessons would have been enough to get me a brand new modern car. This is exaggeration! 🙂

The good news is I’ve learned everything and did drive at all times, different roads and cities and in all weather conditions without causing any damage. 😀😀

The bad news is that I still couldn’t pass my practical test. 😭😭

I learned with different instructors and this was really a great advantage and fun too.

My first instructor was so funny, she told me about her life and we kept laughing and talking most of the time, she said it was all about nerves and believed I can pass my test but I didn’t pass with her.

Then we moved and my new instructor was different, highly qualified, so serious and rude, it was the first time i saw an instructor yelled at people and other drivers on the road. She believed she was horrible and when I told her i think she wasn’t, she was really touched and said I ‘m the first one ever to say so. I learned a lot from her but I was always under pressure, supposed to make no mistakes and believed i could never pass my test, I did not continue with her.

Then after a while, I started again, this time my instructor was so old and apparently didn’t feel well. She was too calm, smiling all the time and never mind my mistakes, everybody does mistakes she said. But i was uncomfortable, and felt under pressure again but this time because of thinking what if anything happened to this poor old woman, she believed i could pass my test but i thought it wouldn’t be with her, and so i stopped

There are two more 😀

We moved again and i started taking lessons again but this time i was no longer learning but practicing and remembering things. My instructor this time barely said anything, just giving directions, nodding, that’s fine, yes yes, no problem, this will do. I believe if I hadn’t learned before, I would have never learned driving with her, and I didn’t pass my test with her either. And I decided to stop taking any lessons for months.

My last instructor was a young lady, quite and calm. I love practicing with her, at my first lesson, she wondered why I  didn’t pass so far, so I booked my test but suddenly because of certain health problems she stopped giving any lessons and I cancelled my test.

Then I’ve become busy with other things and forgot about driving but seeing that 2017 is almost over, I remembered my driving journey again. And I remembered that story that my son told me when I started learning long time ago :‘ mama, …..’s dad failed 7 times before passing on his 8th go but he didn’t like driving.’ ‘ What a wonderful thing to say,’ I told him, mine have not been 8 yet and hopefully they won’t be. 🙏🏻

When looking back on all those memories, I believe that I did my best and learned better than all my friends who passed their test. Actually, it doesn’t bother me anymore, everything comes in time and may be better things are coming in 2018.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla