Tag: people

personal thoughts

Opposites And Light

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‘Opposites throw light upon each other.’

Isn’t this a wonderful quote? Do you think it is common to experience it in this fast-paced, technological world? I doubt it, but first, let me explain my interpretation of the quote.

The opposites in the quote refers to the unique pairs of opposites: day and night, male and female, sound and silence, etc. Here, light symolizes beauty. Now, when you think of it, you can see how the opposites form a beautiful conection in a special, unique way. They complete each other.

Why then, do I doubt this beautiful quote’s relevance in nowadays life? Simply, because, in most cases, the opposites we encouter are not complementary, but  rather one – sided entities with one – sided purposes. As for the light, it’s mostly artificial nowadays.

There are also the opposites in thoughts, which can throw a shinning light on conversations, discussions, or brief encounters. In this context, the shinning light symbolises respect and understaning. Can we allow  this light to flow, or will we turn it off for ever? In other words, we can choose to make our differing ideas fruitful and treasured, or to discard and misuse them.

That’s how opposites throw lights upon each other — just like the day welcomes night, and the night blesses the day.

Does my perspective make sense? I hope so.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

People Do Tell On Themselves

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Isn’t that one of the life’s greatest ironies?

Sometimes, a person is so careful, so clever, so well prepared – in short, a brilliant actor. And yet, as the old Arabic saying goes: A slip of the tongue can expose lies, hidden intentions, and the true face behind the mask.

Surprisingly, on the other hand, honesty and a keen eye is all you need to observe the irony and smile.

The idea for this blog was inspired by a quote I read on Instagram. It brought back an old memory that made me smile. Before sharing it with you, I’d like to give a brief summary about my acquaintance with social media (feel free to skip this part if you’re in a hurry)

It wasn’t until 2015 or 2016 that I opened a Facebook account, and downloaded other social media apps like WhatsApp. It wasn’t that I hadn’t heard about them, of course I had, but I am a full time mother with prioroties and daily plans. I was happy with using Skype, Yahoo, or Hotmail messengers for social commuications. Back then, things were simpler, and more convenient. But, sometimes, you can’t say “no” to change, especially when your children are getting involved. Since then, I’ve found myself in group chats; one for the mummies, one for close friends, one for other friends who are not close, one for community activities, and so on. Oh, these groups were funny, troublesome, and really a waste of time.

One day, a friend on one of the groups asked me a question about Quran recitation, as I was the only member with a qualified certificate. I answered her question, and she asked another. The questions and answers continued for a while. After many messages back and forth, she said: “Don’t think I’m examining your knowledge.”

“Why would I? You asked and I explained,” I replied. Honestly, that was how I felt, but at that monent, I realised it really was like  she was examining me. If only she had known that, out of respect for the age gap between us, I didn’t want to excuse myself and tend to my other chores.

She disappeared without a reply, no thanks, nothing. In fact, she wasn’t friendly with me, and if it hadn’t been for the group, I believe our paths would have never crossed.

Can you see how people can tell on themselves?

They say professional liars have bad memories. That must be why they end up exposing themselves.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

story

I Want Your House!

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‘Good morning Madame.’

‘Good morning Sir, how can I help you?’

‘I’m your wealthy neighbour, the third road on the left. My mansion can’t be missed.’

Of course I know your mansion, heard about you,  no need to brag about your power and wealth. Besides, I have never wished, never would, to be honoured either with your presence or your company, I thought holding the door half -open. 

He remained silent, looking from me to my house. I remained silent looking from him to his massive, monstrous car swallowing the whole wide road just like an enormous  whale stuck in a small lake.

‘You’ve got a beautiful house,’ he said, with one of those fake forced smiles.

‘Thank you,’ I replied.

‘May I come in and have a look?’ Now, his smile was a mockery one.

‘A look at what?’

‘Your house.’

‘Have anyone told you mine is for sale?’

‘If you allow me some of your time, I’ll be happy to explain things.’

‘I’m so sorry but I don’t know you and I can’t let you into my house to explain things that have nothing to do with me.’

All his smiles, forced or mocking, disappeared. His face reddened and his eyes blazing. He was, definitely, on the brink of exploding, but that wouldn’t be my fault, would it?

‘But of course, they have. It’s about your house which I know is not for sale. But, I’ve come to offer you the deal of a lifetime.’

‘For my house which is not for sale?’

‘Yes. Now may I come in to talk business?’  He looked a bit calmer, a bit hopeful.

‘No.’

‘Why?’

‘I told you.’

‘I can turn your house into a fairytale palace.’

‘It’s already my fairytale miniature palace.’

 ‘Your garden will be exotic and magical.’

‘Thank you very much but I’m not a wich.’

‘Your kitchen will turn into a sophisticated, modern restaurant with…

‘Sophistication and I do not go well together.’

‘Your bathroom…

‘Clean and tidy.’

‘How many rooms do you have?

‘Enough.’

‘Your bedroom..

‘I want to replace my dressing, and fix my wardrobe drawers.’

‘Give me time to explain.’

‘What do you want?’

‘Your house. It would make a great extension to my compound, influence, and buisness. But it will also remain your place. You can choose to live in its modern renovated version, or nearby. I’ll simply hold the “ownership”, and you will live a better life.’

‘Thank you very much but my house is not for sale.’ I shut the door.

He exploded, but, unfortunately,  I don’t have a fire extinguisher to contain the mess.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Baklawa

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Or baklava? Both are correct – the first is in Arabic, and the second in Turkish.

You can buy it from the shops or restaurants, or make it at home. I love to make it. It’s the simplest recipe ever: puff pastry sheets, ground nuts, butter, and syrup. There are millions of videos on YouTube for this simple dessert.

Baklawa is most famous and enjoyed during the month of fasting; Ramadan – our very special, once – a -year guest.

Are your mouth watering  already? Mine is.

Sometimes, you might think, like me, that you can transform your traditional dessert recipe into a healthier one. Here’s my experiment with baklawa last year, and my baklawa this year.

Last Ramadan, I decided to cut all fine sugar and use honey, dates, or fruits in all desserts, including baklawa. It wasn’t because I was on a diet or had any medical issues, but because I want to eat healthily. So, the only change I made to baklawa was to replace the sugar with honey. But honey is thick and has a different taste, yet I insisted on using it.


“Where is the sugar, mama?”
“Why does it taste weird?”
“Is there any other dessert?”

My family compalined, obviously didn’t like it, and neither did I. It wasn’t making your mouth-water but rather make it shut and dry.

Therefore, for this Ramadan, I’m making it the normal way with homemade sugar syrup. Now, that’s the mouth-watering baklawa with layers of pastry sheets full of ground pistachios, walnuts, and almond. On top of each crispy piece, the shiny syrup spreads smoothly and penterates deeply into each layer. One bite of baklawa with its dripping syrup would make it ready to fast for the whole year!

Have you tried fasting before? I’m just wondering how you feel about it?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Charms Or Merit

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“Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.” 

Alexander Pope

I really like this quote.It was so random when I found it while searching for something else. I don’t remember if I have heard or studied Alexandre Pope before, but I think I will have a look at some of his work soon.

How many times have you met a charming person with dazzling looks that would strike the light and blast your mind at first sight?  These things happen at least once or twice in your life, right? But then, things turn out to be just like the old saying: Appearances are deceiving. Or, may I suggest a slight alteration and make it: appearances can be just soulless charms. When your charm is souless, it’s vague, and though it might be expensive and powerful, it is also short-lived just like a tempst in a teapot.

Haven’t things nowadays come to depend first and most on appearances, which are laden with money and power? In most cases, they are soulless charms because they have nothing to do with the soul. They mainly have to do with attention, attraction, and surfaces. Does this make sense? Let me explain more.

The soul is neither an ownership nor a commodity. It’s a divine entity. Whatever is divine is pure, and whatever is pure will touch the pure whining you: your soul.

Is things getting clearer now? I hope so.

That’s why it’s merit, not charisma that wins the soul. Perhaps that’s why some people say what is good, genuine, and honest always makes lasting impressions and wins true respect.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Why Do You Think We Covered It?

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This extract is from a parable in the Arabic Folklore. It tells a brief encounter between an old, cunning man, and a clever girl.

As the girl was walking along the road, carrying a covered plate in her hands, an old man stopped her.

“What’s in the plate, young girl?’ He asked.

‘And, why do think we covered it?’ She replied.

The man’s face reddened with shame, and he felt as if the girl had just slapped him.

Do you know why he felt so? Can you guess the meaning of this brief encounter?

Of course, both the old, cunning man and the clever girl are not talking about food? Or do you think they are?

It’s okay if you think they are, but then, there wouldn’t be a moral meaning, which means there’s a moral meaning.

Can you guess it now?

Haven’t you ever met or heard about some people who wouldn’t rest until they dig deep into others’ lives? They try their best to uncover what has been covered, perhaps even changed and forgiven. Their main goal is to pry and satisfy their curiosity and sense of gloating, to hurt and debunk others.

Worse still, have you met those who expose themselves and call it complete honesty and ultimate bravery? Their private and confidential life becomes a free open store for anyone to explore, share, and spread all over the world. Sometimes, I really can’t understand if you’ve been granted the chance by God’s grace to have your mistakes, secrets, or even misfortunes, covered and hidden from others, why expose them?

Now, back to the old parable, and the old, cunning man. He wasn’t after the food; he was after the news that was none of his business, nor anyone’s else business. That’ why he was full of shame. It turned out that the girl had given him the lesson of his life.

Do you think this old parable would have any significance, any echo in the world of social media today?

Would this clever girl exist once more?

Would the old, cunning man be ashamed again?

What do you think? Do you have another interpretation of the parable?

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

P.S. For all of you who are having snow in their places, have fun! It’s so windy and rainy here as my photo shows, but surprisingly it’s warm!

Just writing

Old Habits

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Old habits die hard. Or, can they?

Have you ever thought that this saying relates to both good and bad – or unnecessary habits. I mean its a double – meaning saying.

“Old habits never die,” is a great and encouraging saying, espcially when it comes to positive habits, like brushing your teeth before going to bed, or taking off your shoes before entering the house.

However, “old habits never die” can also relate to negative habits that you can neither give up nor change. In such cases, you may feel trapped inside their strong, tight net. Still, with determination and strong will, it is believed that your bad old habits can either die or transformed into positive alternatives.

Have you read The Apple Tree by Daphne du Maurier. In the story, Medge, the deceased wife, is portrayed by her husband as having the worst habbit that seems not just hard, but impossible to die. No only that, her husband puts all the blame for their unhappy marriage on her, as if he were an angelic husband fallen down from heaven.

Can you guess what Medge’s old habit that never dies ?

Here’s my review link if you want to know.

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2025/02/06/the-apple-tree/



With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

A friend to all

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… is not a friend at all.

Have you ever heard this saying? It makes sense, doesn’t it?

Isn’t it odd that one can be your friend and your rival’s, your opponent’s, even your enemy’s? You can, of course, be kind to all, but not a friend to all. I am not talking about social media friends, for in this case you can be a friend to millions. Online frienhip is exactly what it implies “online”. I am talking about real, close friends who you can trust, love, agree, or even disagree with. Perhaps that’s why true friendship is a rare gem, too hard to find and too precious to keep.

In fiction, and in real life, true friendhip could take you by surprise. An old man might be a young child’s best friend, a man of the world might be a saint’s, a prisoner might be his keeper’s, and an animal might be a man’s. In all cases, its the quality,  not quantity that makes unique friendships.

Wouldn’t it be better if this friend of all should be a passerby after all?

Perhaps you can change the saying and add whatever you like.

A friend to all …..

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Books

The promise

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Have you ever promised someone something?
Of course I have, we all do.

Have you been true to your promise?
Hmm … sometimes, most of the times.

Have you ever broken any?
Well… I can’t remember

Can you trust someone who breaks their promise, who couldn’t stand by their word?
Never … but unless it was inevitable.

Would your answers be any similar?

You might forgive once, but when things happen twice or more, nothing can heal the wound of mistrust. It’s better not to give a promise at all than to give one with any possibility of being unable to keep it. It’s not only unethical to break a promise, but also heartbreaking, disappointing, and deceiving.

However, what if the promise itself is impossible, dangerous, or unethical? Would you blindly, stubbornly fulfill it? Or would you listen to your heart and reason, and break it? 

That’s what the new book I am currently reading is all about. A girl, in her early twenties,  gives her bedridden mother a promise to move and live with her aunt after her death. From the very beginning, starting with the cold letter she receives from her aunt, to the long, miserable journey she makes, to people’s fear and shock about her destination, to the first sight of her aunt and her husband, everything seems to be shouting at her to break her promise and forget about it. If her mother were able to rise from her grave, she would do, so just to tell her daughter to forget about that mistaken promise and flee from her Aunt’s house. But, the girl, full of curiosity and stubbornness, stuck to the promise all the same.

I’ll let you know more when I finish it.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

P.S. The promise is not the title of the book

Just writing

Villians

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Have you ever, even somtimes, sympathised with those villians who are dramatised in movies and fiction, as kind hearted people with noble deeds? Something like, they rob banks but they also give plenty to the poor. Worse still, especially when it’s a love story with handsome characters, you go ahead and analyse their cases from a psychological point of view, mainly to make them victims not criminals.

Your analysis would suggest that, perhaps, it was the hard circumstances, the upbringing, ignorance, injustice, and sometimes even boredom, that forced them to follow the devil. Of course, that suggestion doesn’t entirely destroy the goodness inside villians.

And, in conclusion, you would also suggest that villians need a chance, an open door, or a relocation to shed their devilish skin. Then, with a new brand of skin, they would be able to listen to their nagging conscience and pump some light into their dark heart. Things might work this way, but it might not becuase there might be other scenarios.

What if they don’t have a nagging conscience? What if they block the light instead of letting it penetrate their dark hearts? What if repentance wasn’t in their dictionary and power and egotism are their main, sole creed?  What if the devil himself was just an apprentense in their handicraft? And finally, what if they want to always play the villian, the highly qualified egonist?

Would you still sympathise with them, and cry at the end of the story because they were hanged, prisoned, and didn’t have a second chance?

Why don’t you, while reading the story, consider that God surely hasn’t assigned villians to rob the rich to feed the poor?

Have you ever thought that, with all excuses, all masks, and all pretences, vilians can’t erase their malicious achievements from their resume without adding a pure, repentent heart to it? Of course that does not mean that a villian would straightaway turn into an angel, but they, probably, would turn straightaway into a human with a living heart.

Would you, as a reader, prefer a story that makes you weep for joy after the lost soul finally starts seeking light? Or would you just enjoy a story for its adventure regardless of the route it takes, just the journey for its own sake?


With all the best wishes,

Nahla