“Imagine the silence if people only said things they knew.”
I have just come across this quote.
But isn’t it beautiful?
Not everything reaching our ears is worth telling, right?
Oh, and … perhaps you can also imagine, beside the silence, the respect and peace that would prevail if people not only said but also did the things they knew to be proper and fair.
With hope and peace,
Nahla
Today, it’s about curiosity, but why curiosity? Because last night, as I was reading my book, a sentence stuck in my head, and I couldn’t help but think and rethink and write about it.
But before I reveal this thought‐provoking sentence, I’m just wondering what you think about curiosity? Is it a useful gift or a bad trait?
By the way, the verb wondering is usually used when we are curious about something, right?
Honeslty, until this very moment, I’m wondering— if useful gift and bad trait were measured on a scale, which one would weigh heavier? Surely, the heaviest would be the winning characteristic of curiosity.
Now, bear with me as I investigate the case of Mr. Curiosity—the one who killed Ms. Cat.
‘What an awful, tragic ending!’ A witness, shedding earnest tears, reported the incident to the police officer.
‘I was at the bus stop, waiting for the bus that seemed to never come. Delays, delays, delays— I read while checking the time on the screen. I was exasperated. I had shopping to do, food to cook, and a football game to watch … but hey, Officer, who do you think is going to win the cup—Spain or Portugal?
‘I don’t care—just tell me about the cat?
‘Oh, poor Ms. Cat. She was wandering around before hiding behind that tree.’ The witness pointed to one of the trees.
The officer huffed and puffed, couldn’t wait to jump into his air‐conditioned car, and flew back home.
‘Then, all of a sudden, she ran across the road and joined me at the bus stop—at this exact spot where you’re standing, Officer?
The officer looked down and wiped his face, his patience almost worn out.
‘She did not meow or purr like normal cats. No— she moved quietly and stealthily, sniffing the hard ground and the grass around. I thought she was poorly or hungry and whispered,”I wish I had some some food to give you.”
‘ “you’re so kind, but I’m not hungr,” she replied, Officer. I almost fainted from shock. Cats don’t talk…do they Officer?’
The officer pressed his lips together, wanting so much to slap the man’s face, to wake him from what seemed like a long nightmare.
‘They can, Officer. That poor Ms. Cat told me so, and that’s why I call her Ms. Cat. But then she told me that Mr. Curiosity had sent her on a certain mission. Do you know Mr. Curiosity, Officer?
The officer shook his head.
“Neither do I. But I asked her who he was, and she said he was her best friend. Then, I asked her about the mission— in case it was a conspiracy or something dangerous. Wasn’t it right to ask her, Officer?
The officer gave a slight nod, holding his tongue— didn’t wish to explode.
‘She told me that, weeks ago, a stray dog had been sneaking around her beautiful house. Oh, the poor thing— she lived in a beautiful house with a massive garden and a swimming pool, which she hated so much. But she loved the garden, where she chased birds, squirrels, and butterflies. Do you have a house with a big or small garden, Officer?
The officer inhaled deeply, then exhaled, shaking his head.
‘I wish I had one. Ms. Cat would have invited me to her house if she had lived longer.’ He burst into tears.
The officer’s face was buring, but he turned and paced a few steps back and forth.
‘But then, that beastly dog came in—uninvited— and settled in the garden while her human family was on holiday. He jumped into the pool, made a big mess in her beautiful outdoor wooden house, devoured her food and snackes, and licked up all her milk. They had a big row, but she won, and he ran away. Wasn’t she so brave, Officer? Officer? …Officer? …Officer?
The officer blinked— he couldn’t believe he had dozed off. He nodded, wishing with all his heart that the report was finally done.
‘I asked her why she was looking for that beastly dog after all that had happened. She said her friends had heard that a family had adopted him and that he was living in luxury. She couldn’t believe them, so Mr. Curiosity advised her to investigate. She asked me if I had seen a dog with a golden chain around his neck. I said no. Have you seen any, Officer?
The Officier bit the inside of his lip until he tasted blood, then shook his head.
‘Then, all of a sudden, I saw her eyes widen. Looking so attentive, her body tense and ready, she told me the dog was near and coming closer. I looked around, Officer, but there were no dogs. The only thing I could see was my bus rolling down the road as slow as a slug. But then, I glanced up and saw a car racing madly from far away. As it overtook the bus, I saw a dog inside with a golden chain around his neck. I turned to tell Ms. Cat, but she had already run into the road. I saw her flying through the air before landing with a heavy thud on the hard gravel.’ He burst out wailing.
The officer let out a long sigh— finally, it was all over, and he could go home.
‘Are you going to arrest the dog?’ asked the witness, and the officier nodded.
‘Where are you going to bury Ms. Cat?’
‘But you forgot something— Ms. Cat has six more lives to enjoy. So perhaps you’ll see her again.’
The officer smiled and took the drunk man back to his house.
So, curiosity killed the cat— and the witness’s curiosity stretched the story to what felt like forever for the officer. But thanks to the officer’s lack of curiosity, the story ended just in time.
So, now, it seems that too much curiosity makes you nosy, prying, and meddlesome. None at all, and you become indifferent, apathetic, and ordinary. But a bit of curiosity is acceptable— just like salt in life. Right?
Now, here’s the quote:
“Curiosity is one of the lowest of the human faculties. You will have noticed in daily life that when people are inquisitive, they nearly always have bad memories and are usually stupid at bottom.”
I agree—but only if it’s too much.
With hope and peace,
Nahla
“You can tell a lady, because nobody knows she’s there.”
How would you interpret this quote?
Negative or postive?
Please don’t fight over it. An arabic adage says: if you offer a person a hundred brains to pick one, they pick their own.
According to the context in which this quote was mentioned, a lady doesn’t show off, doesn’t flirt, and, of course, doesn’t forget she’s a woman. And, this was believed to be a positive and respectful image of a lady.
Over the time, things changed, and the positive became negative, and the negative became positive.
And then, things changed again, introducing new criteria: no positive, no negative— all possible, all the same.
Now, can you just move your eyes, perhaps your glasse, to the first line and re-read the quote—carefully this time.
Did you notice anything beyond positive or negative?
What if ‘lady’ is not used as a title or compliment, but as a presence? Did you notice that the ‘Nobody knows’ might also mean ‘they know,’ but with their third eye? And finally, could ‘She’s there’ be anyone and everywhere—yet unlike anyone and not available everywhere.
This can only be a special perspective, right?
With hope and peace,
Nahla
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Leonardo DaVinci
We might agree or disagree with this view, but this depends on how we understand it.
I read this quote on a photo of two old neighbours, talking together, in a place that looks like an old rural lane. I wondered how can simplicity be the ultimate sophistication, but the photo explains a lot because not all people can appreciate such a simple life.
Simplicity is not a simple process; it’s sophisticated. To sit on the road to talk with a neighbour and feel such peace, just like the two women in the photo, requires a simple way of being.
Simplicity is one of the writing techniques or a recommended one, but a simple piece can also be the most sophisticated.
Wishing you all the best,
Nahla
In Islam, usury is forbidden. It’s an unfair deal to exploit people in need and lend them money on the condition that s/she will pay back double or ten doubles.
But what if usuary was not about money?
I’ve just read this quote by Shams Tabrizi;
“Usuary is permissible in love. So, when one gives you some love, give it back double.”
Or more!
Wishing you all the best,
Nahla
This is mine for the new year, let me know yours.
”Your lot is seeking after you, therefore be at rest from seeking after it.” Imam Ali.
Happy New Year,
With all best wishes,
Nahla
This is a novel by Ann Holm. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve watched the movie. I think it’s good although some people might find it full of unlikely coincidences. But don’t we have those unlikely coincidences in real life? I mean if we look back at those significant moments in our life, we would realise that we have experienced some of those unlikely coincidences too.
David is 12 years old; he managed to escape from Bulgarian Forced Labour Camp and to travel alone to Denmark. The variation of characters is very interesting; the fellow prisoner, a sailor, a baker, an Italian family, and widowed artist, they all helped the boy, intentionally or unintentionally, to reach his destination, and to discover his story. And what I find more interesting is the message of the story which is to believe in the goodness of humanity.
This is one of the movie best quotes;
“Life wouldn’t be worth living without trust. Be cautious, but live fully and freely. Make friends and see the goodness in people or you’ll never find any happiness.”
Truth, isn’t it?
Wishing you all the best,
Nahla
Pure and Simple 