Tag: people

Just writing

Joy in Between the Lines.

nhpureandsimple

Well… I borrowed the title exactly as it is.

But, mind you, this is not plagiarism.

How?

Because that’s the title of my post on my other blog.

Anyway… how many beautiful things do you notice while walking?

By walking, I mean that nice long walk you enjoy with no rush.

I hope you’ll say “many,”  because there are so many beautiful things around.

If you miss them, you really miss so much beauty and fun.

Really… you will miss things like the sky when it is clear, 

and the gentle, warm breeze.

Everything looks different…  more shiny and pretty:

from the high sky to the green grass,

from the wavy see to the steady land,

from the flying birds to the buzzing bees.

Aren’t these simple, quiet joys that are tucked in between the lines of everything around us worth your attention and appreciation?

Of course they are.

But sometimes you just can’t avoid interruptions.

A phone call, a serious talk, some funny comments, or the barking of an angry dog.

That’s exactly what happened today as me and my daughter were going for a walk.

Though we were on the other side of the road, a nosy, jumpy dog began barking nonstop at the gate of his house. 

He didn’t only interrupt our conversation, he also gave us such a jump that made us forget what we were talking about.

But… perhaps he was somehow trying to remind us that he also wanted to go out and look for those hidden joys tucked along the road.

Honestly, I was happy that his search – for – joy adventure wasn’t scheduled with ours.

With simple, quiet joys,

Nahla

 https://nh825.wordpress.com/2026/06/13/joy-in-between-the-lines/

Just writing

How was your day?

nhpureandsimple

Windy, sunny, rainy, and cold.

Doesn’t that make a wonderfully multi – weather day?

I suppose it does.

At least we saw the sun, and the wind passed by to dry the laundry.

Not to forget the visit of rain, and her insistance on offering the birds’ a fun gift — a small pool. 

And now, at bedtime, the cold breeze slipped into our homes, just to remind us of dear, missed autumn.

It is June, right?

Can June in your place nudge our June here?

He seems a bit confused.

Or lost.

I think… according to his symptoms, his mental confusion is affected by the madness in the world these days.

East and west, North and south, and the even World Cup squeezed into the mess.

Poor June, and it’s only the tenth.

But let’s have hope,

Tomorrow will be a good day.

And next week will bring more warmth, and good news.

And by the week after, you will laugh, wondering how your visit passed in the blink of an eye

Amen.

With confused – June – weather thoughts,

Nahla 

daily prompt

Arabic Names vs English Pronunciation 

nhpureandsimple

If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

Since we were created with different tongues, I find it very interesting how names sound different in other cultures.

So though my name has just four simple letters, in English it can’t be pronounced the same.

In Arabic, the h is pronounced clearly, like the h in hello, but it is dropped in English because it’s difficult to pronounce when followed by an L.

And things don’t stop there as the other three letters are also pronounced differently… more stronger. 

But I’ve been used to it, and I actually like the change.

When my husband and I chose Arabic names for our children, we tried our best to make them easy for English speakers to pronounce. Still, they never sound the same.

Different tongues, right.

And then, years ago, more interesting things happened.

One of my friends told me about her attempt to correct the pronunciation of her name for English speakers, but none of them worked.

Her name is Eman. Oh… how I love this name.

When I was young, I wished my name was Eman, after one of my favourite teachers. 

And If it wasn’t already used in my family, I would have named my daughter Eman. 

By the way, Eman means faith. 

Isn’t that a beautiful meaning. 

One day, as we were walking together, she suddenly started talking to herself.

‘It’s E and man. If they can easily pronounce man, why can’t they pronounce it in my name?’

‘Are you okay Eman?’ I asked 

‘It’s just E and man.’

‘What?’

‘E and man.’

And we both burst out laughing. 

With different- tongues thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Kindness: The Most Needed Treasure 

nhpureandsimple

What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

Yes, what can be most needed these days than kindness. 

Kindness softens the hardest hearts and spreads goodness everywhere.

Kindness fills ordinary days with blessings and quiet happiness.

And Kindness always comes in different shapes; a loud gesture, a soft whisper, an extended hand, a pat on shoulder, a warm smile, or a listening ear. 

But kindness has never been weak.

When she stands face to face with animosity, the latter shrinks and burns into ashes.

Life can’t be liveable without kindness.

The whole world needs her today more than any other time.

Trees, oceans, birds, animals and every creature on this earth needs kindness just as much as we humans do.

Be the first to show some kindness every day.

Nothing big or fancy, even a sincere prayer can do.

People say kindness returns in abundance.

And now, don’t you agree that kindness is the most needed treasure in our world today.

With most -needed – kindness thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Time Thief and Companion

nhpureandsimple

Who do you spend the most time with?

Well… here, I’d like to talk about my spare time.

For, if I speak about who I spend the most of time with, the answer would certainly be my family and my home.

Nor would I talk about reading and writing, because I believe I write about them every now and then.

So… can we just talk about Time and its two main jobs in life?

Sometimes, he is just a highly professional thief.

Yes, he is.

He sneaks and glides, stealing hours, days, and years from our life with a smirk on his face.

And we can’t stop him. 

You know why?

Because we give him carte blanche to sneak and glide and steal our life right under our nose with the famous phrase: I will do it tomorrow 

‘Tomorrow, you’ll say the same,’ Mr Time Thief bursts out laughing in your face. 

Then, on another day, Mr Time Companion gives you a surprise visit.

That’s when you appreciate every moment and make good use of it.

That’s when you set your mind on your plans, choosing to do them now rather than later.

And here, Mr time lingers, stretches, and sips his cup of tea for as long as you wish. 

Wouldn’t you lock the door before Mr Time Thief, yet open it wide to Mr Time Companion whenever he decides to pay a visit.

I try my best.

With time-is-gold thoughts,

Nahla 

P.s. By the way, have a look at The Fisherman’s Tales post before he gives up telling any.

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2026/06/07/the-fisherman-tales/

daily prompt

Religion and Practice

nhpureandsimple

Do you practice religion?

Do you practice religion?

It reminds me of the questions my children used to ask when they were little.

Why do we pray, mama?

Why do we fast?

Why are we allowed to this and not allowed to do that?

And their list of whys multiplied over the years.

When children are young, it’s better to give answers that satisfy their curiosity, not their spirituality.

Their innocent hearts believe in God innately.

They need no big, fancy words or explanations at such young age. 

So… my answers were usually simple, and straight to the point.

For example, for the first question I would say; We pray because God wants us to pray, to stay close to Him, always.

Over the years, as we grow older, we not only understand but also feel the strong connection between religion and practice. 

For me, religion without practice is….

a path without direction,

a candle without light,

and a heart without blood. 

Sometimes we get lost, confused, and even a little prodigal.

Yes… no one is perfect.

But without following directions,

without lightening the candle,

and without purifying the blood, 

life becomes a maze, a snakes -and-ladders game.

And this child’s innate belief in The Creator will easily fade as we grow up.

Only practice can restore faith.

It gives us the nudge that keeps us on track.

And it can soften the heart and purify the soul.

Religion cannot be without faith,

and faith cannot live without practice.

With practiced religious thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Wind Back Time to Year Nine

nhpureandsimple

Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?

Time: Year Nine

Place: Cairo, local state girls’ school

Class: Arabic

As far I can remember, a different Arabic Story was included in our curriculum every year.

I can mainly remember that book, though I’m not actually sure whether it was in year eight or nine.

Anyway the story was somehow historical, the kind of heroic epic with a gentle tug of innocent romance. They used to say that it was adapted from a real story. 

That’s the first reason I still remember it.

As for the other reason… I’ll reveal later.

Just keep reading.

The story took place centuries ago in a small city near Alexandria. Though it was only a small city, its people, old and young, men and women, were among the bravest in all of Egypt. They had taken part in a heroic battle and made a memorial contribution to defeating and expelling the french invaders from Egyptian lands.

And so… this once -upon -a -time story unfolded during the Napoleonic Invasion of Egypt.

Within its historical, epical context, the book weaves the tale of one of the prettiest young women and one of the bravest young men in that small city.

They were cousins, deeply attached to one another, but each with a different dream.

She listened to the fortune -teller and believed she was destined to become a queen.

He listened to the cries of his country, the enemy invasion, and the duty to free his homeland.

She married the chef leader of Napoleon campaign and travelled to France, but she never became a queen.

He worked hard, fought for his country, and married an English girl who believed in his cause.

She returned defeated and humiliated.

He stayed, died, and was buried as a martyr and loyal man to the very end.

The end.

Isn’t it a memorable story.

Now, here’s the second reason which is a bit funny, and that’s why I remember it. 

Isn’t memory selective? 

Yes it is, and it always seems to swing between two extremes: the happy and the awful.

So then… here’s the fun bit.

During one of the classes, while the teacher was in the middle of explaining the historical events, a girl raised her hand to ask a question. 

Strange how I still remember that girl, but not her name. Perhaps it’s because she was the tallest in the class. 

The girl was leaning against the wall when, out of the blue, she threw her question into the room: What was the age difference between Zubaida (the pretty heroine) and Laura (the English girl)?

Our Arabic teacher turned and gave the girl one of those blazing looks that made the whole class freeze.

“Out of all the sensible questions we’re practising, you came up with the one that doesn’t relate. Why would you ever care about their age?”

The poor girl flushed, straightened in her seat, opened her book and flipped to a random page.

That was so funny how the poor girl, instead of keeping her dreamy question to herself, voiced it out loud.

 Even now, I still can’t help laughing.

And that’s all about my memorable book.

Though it wasn’t exactly part of my childhood, my teen years will do.

With school- book thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Off The Hook Fishy

nhpureandsimple

Should a fish shut her mouth?

But of course she should,

otherwise she will be hooked out of her world; her big, secure home. 

And then it’s over.

She will serve as a fresh dinner plat for a hungry stomach.

“You definitely, and by all means, shouldn’t open it,” the old wise fish advised her fellows. 

“As delicious, fresh, and rare as the bait may be, it is as dangerous, cunning, and deceptive. You should remember that, and think twice,” the old wise fish warned.

We humans should think not only twice but thrice or even more before stepping into a zone that isn’t ours.

Whatever this zone may be; 

social, professional, or even familial.

It isn’t advisable to open your mouth and swallow everything, 

nor to open your mouth and pour everything out.

In both cases, you transgress your zone and fall into waters that aren’t yours; whether deep or shallow it doesn’t matter, again they’re not yours.

You sacrifice your self-respect, your peace of mind, and your time over trivialities.

Didn’t the old man repeatedly give this piece of advice?

Of course he did.

Psychologists , psychiatrists, and many books say and repeat the very same advice. 

If you don’t trust humans because they’re the ones who invented fishing rods, then trust the old wise fish who has never transgressed its own territory.

By the way this post was inspired by a quote I wrote on my other blog; the one I’m trying to bring it back to life. If you’d like to read it, here’s the link:

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2026/06/03/the-fish-and-the-hook/The Fish And The Hook

With the old wise fish’s  thoughts, 

Nahla

daily prompt

Well… I Believe Everyone knows This fear

nhpureandsimple

What fears have you overcome and how?

This is the dentophobia; the fear of dentist visit.

Of course, I made this word up, but feel free to use it… just add me as the reference. Who knows, perhaps one day this word will be added into the encyclopaedia of odd words.

So… this is the main fear I believe most people have. 

It’s the dentist, and the dental clinic.

How many times have you postponed your visit to this white, bright, ’healthy teeth guaranteed’ clinic?

Mine are Numerous.

The thing is most of the dentists look nice, talk nice, behave nice, but when their equipment, tools and shiny new technology start buzzing, nothing looks nice anymore. And that’s exactly when the first phase of fear begins.

So… once you lie down on that dental chair, your heart starts pounding hard and loud and nonstop

Then comes the eye shield, and with it your hands begin to perspire and tremble.

What follows, is opening your mouth wide, and that’s exactly when your heart almost forgets how to beat.

’Sorry, do you want me to stop? Just a few seconds more,’ your faithful dentist assures.

And your only response is to close your eyes and clutch your hands.

What else can you do?

Finally, you hear the long awaited phrase: ’All done’

You got to your feet, and thank the Lord you can leave safe and sound.

Then the second phase begins, as your kind dentist offers some warnings wrapped in gentle advice;  ’Don’t speak, eat, or drink for at least two hours if not longer. And in case of any problems, call the clinic immediately.’

You listen and nod, your mouth numb and your head aching.

Last but not least, the final wave of fear arrives when you see that smiling face behind the reception desk waiting for the bill to be payed and the next appointment to be booked.

Later on you arrive home and, all of a sudden, you start craving a cup of tea. But then you remember you can’t drink.

So you gaze around the kitchen, looking for any snack, and again you remember you can’t eat.

A moment later, you phone rings, but you don’t answer it, because your ears are buzzing and your mouth is numbing. 

Nothing is left but to try to relax somewhere quiet. You do, and with the mercy of God, you fall asleep.

’Congratulations… you’ve passed your dentophobia challenge with great success,’ you whisper in your dream.

And that’s when you finally realise you’ve conquered one of your fears.

With dentist – challenge – fear thoughts,

Nahla 

Just writing

Hello, June

nhpureandsimple

Your big brother May was kind all the way to the end.

Yes, thank God, May was fun, interesting, and productive.

I posted quite often, as ideas flowed easily and unexpectedly.

But… I read less in May.

Guess why.

Because I picked the wrong book at the wrong time.

It was one of the old classics; a collection of Kipling’s short stories.

The name rang a bell from somewhere back in my English degree days, but I’m pretty sure I hadn’t read anything by this author before.

So I welcomed the book heartily; looking forward to enjoying some beautiful, rich prose.

But it turned out to be like a machine manual catalogue with too many symbols and clues that gave me a headache. 

My brain couldn’t digest this piece of literary work, save for one story.

I exhaled a long, deep breath when I decided not only to stop reading it, but also to never pick up another book by Kipling.

But then, as I was checking my want-to- read list, I remembered that I have a second blog.

Quotes and Reviews…. nh825.wordpress.com

I felt sorry for it.

It has been mute for so long that it doesn’t know me anymore.

I gave it a little nudge post to wake it up.

It did wake up though still yawning with, heavy lids and slow motion.

Hopefully, in June I can feed it with more quotes and book reviews.

With June’s new blogging thoughts,

Nahla