Tag: Quotes

Philosophical musings

“How cruel is man’s ignorance!”

nhpureandsimple

Isn’t this quote so true? ​

You know… ignorance isn’t just the lack of study, learning, or certificates.

No, ignorance is the lack of understanding, of seeing and feeling what is true and real.

By the way, don’t you agree that education is not the opposite of ignorance? In other words, a farmer with basic education may have more knowledge than a qualified teacher. The farmer’s knowledge is usually enriched by wisdom, while the teacher’s is measured by certificates. 

So… can we agree that the opposite of ignorance is understanding?

Education, power, wealth, and fame do not necessarily produce knowledgeable people. Ironically, these supposed sources of knowledge feed and entertain ignorance more than they cultivate true knowledge. 

And this type of ignorance is available in abundance, but it is deaf and blind.  

It spreads lies, hides the truth, and fights against cultivating knowledge.

That’s why ignorance is cruel, so cruel indeed.

But there is some good news. Over the years, ignorance has always surrendered to knowledge. Not only that, this cruel ignorance has lived by the light of knowledge, yet it never recognised its validity until it was too late. 

All we need to avoid falling into the trap of ignorance is to understand, and to see and feel things not only with our minds, but also with our hearts.

And…

Remember, knowledge is understanding, and understanding is the first step towards wisdom, and wisdom is light, and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing, Philosophical musings

Faith and Friendship and December 

nhpureandsimple

“Anyone who requites faith and friendship as I did, will have to pay for it.”

The Professor’s House by Willa Cather. 

I’ve already shared my review of this novel, and this quote has inspired me to write this post.

The reason behind this quote was the loss of a friend —not through death, but through disagreement and disappointment. One was an idealist, the other an opportunist. Though they made good company together, at the first conflict, their paths parted. It was the idealist who said these words, lamenting the loss of true friendship to uncompromising ideals.

Faith and friendship are such precious gifts— too precious to be returned, too fragile to be repaired.

One is blessed to have them strong, and to keep them safe and nourished. 

How strong? How safe, how nourished? 

The balance depends on how much you are committed.

Along this journey,

perfection and idealism are neither required nor recommended.

Materialism, modernism, and other -isms have no place here.

These precious gifts need a simple home with strong pillars.

Understanding and sincerity can be the main pillars. 

But, if the pillars break, the building will collapse.

Then, regret follows,

and what a heavy, merciless creditor regret can be!

In brief, this is my interpretation of the quote, which I see as the bulb of the book. And perhaps you might think of it as… just a pat on the shoulder on the first of December. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

The Lark

nhpureandsimple

That little, talented bird with a beautiful voice that is music itself. I’m not sure I have seen one before, but I imagine he must be among those nesting in the nearby trees. 

Well … why did he crossed my mind today? 

Simply because of the book I have just finished. The Song of the Lark, which, by the way is not about the bird species. 

Can you  guess what it symbolises in the story?

It’s not hard to guess for birds, in most cases, symbolise freedom and ambition.

There’s a poem about this bird, but I haven’t read it yet. Perhaps another time. 

Away from the book and the poem, doesn’t the bird, with its unique name, feel like a musical poem? Full of energy and happiness? Beside it’s a migratory creature with an adventurous spirit. 

Watch out for him in the morning, for he’s the friend of light and the colourful kite dancing in the blue sky. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

And Then Everything Happens!

nhpureandsimple

Have you ever heard this quote: “Nothing happens, and nothing happens, and then everything happens.”  I came across it in one of my reading books, and I hope I’m quoting it right.

Don’t you like it? 

How many times have you been on the verge of giving up? Of letting despair and misery eat you up? Of bowing and kneeling before tyrants and demons? And why all that? Just because nothing happens. And nothing happens. 

But then, Hope arrives and knocks on your locked door. He doesn’t wait for you to open it for he knows you have been waiting, suffering, and tormented for so long. He seeps into your dark, wretched soul like a gentle, warm breeze filling a dark, damaged home in a freezing night. That’s when everything happens: Prayers are answered, dreams come true, wishes granted, problems solved, and victory attained. 

Isn’t that so beautiful, so encouraging—lifting the spirits of poor souls, awakening their self-respect, and strengthening their love for life?

There is a similar meaning in an Arabic poetry verse I once read.  It says: “Things grew tight, and tighter, and tighter until they reached their tightest peak. Then, they began to loosen, and relief came.“ (This is my own translation.)

Are you are still reading?

If you are, may I ask you to think of the english quote, or the Arabic verse, in a different way? 

Did anything come to your mind? 

Let me give you an example to help. 

Imagine, just imagine, you’ve been… God Forbid, a thief or a murderer or even a scammer your whole life. And nothing happens. And nothing happens. And, one day, you hear knockings at your door.

Hope is not the visitor this time. It’s Justice crowned with her royal, majestic halo. She’s the one who’s been waiting for so long. Finally, it’s time to make you pay. And then, things happen. But, instead of the gentle, warm breeze, it’s tsunami rushing to wipe you out, and reclaim everything that was never yours. 

The interpretation is the same in the Arabic verse, with a slight difference. This time, it’s the culprit who tightens things with every deed, inhumane ones, of course, chasing success, power, and protection. He climbed to the tightest peak of pride, power, and false security. Then things happen. Tight things burst, don’t they? But relief doesn’t come. Only torn pieces remain this time, bringing nothing but suffering, humiliation, and regret. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Blessed Are Those Who Know Their Own Limits

nhpureandsimple

I don’t really know if it is a saying or a quote, but I’m pretty sure I came across somewhere.

But don’t you agree?

Don’t you respect those who can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’? Those who can choose to go on, to pause, or to withdraw? Those who know that ‘better’doesn’t necessarily mean ‘perfect’? And those who believe that ‘to run for your life’ is the only excuse to exceed the limits.

And you know what? Even imagination knows its own limits because, in the end, it doesn’t deny the fact that everything it creates is imaginary.

Dreams are different because the more limitless they are, the more destructive and selfish they become.  People say, ‘Look ahead and follow your dreams.’ And some follow the advice as if it were a holy command. They look only ahead and follow one route — either straight or by taking shortcuts. Like competitive drivers, they floor the gas pedal, exceed speed limits, ignore traffic lights, overtake any priorities, and make every space as their own free parking zone.

To know and respect your own limits is not a weakness, not a sacrifice, and certainly not a defeat. It’s something like making a peace deal with yourself, a quiet agreement, not to overburden, torture, or destroy what’s already carrying enough.

Everything in life seems to have its own limits. Privacy, for example, is supposed to be all about knowing and respecting limits. There’s also genius, this rare, precious quality, which often understands the significance of limits better than anyone else. But, unfortunately, in some case, its main aim is to only challenge and destroy them.

The beauty of all this is that we have different limits, and they change even throughout our lives. Everyone can create their own heroic saga. What matters is crafting it within your own limits. And, if you choose to exceed the limits, don’t scapegoate others, don’t envy them, and don’t torture your poor soul anymore.

Now doesn’t “Blessed are those who know their own limits” make perfect sense?


With hope and peace,

Nahla



personal thoughts

Can We Foretell the Future?

nhpureandsimple

“…it is impossible to foretell the future with any degree of accuracy, that it is impossible to rehearse life.”

This post is inspired by this quote from A Room with a View by E. M. Forster—a book I finished reading a few days ago.

There’s an interesting irony woven naturally into the story. It’s about life, reminding us that it isn’t a script to be read, memorised, or rehearsed. Instead, it flows and surprises us in unexpected ways.

Strange, how others, unintenionally, play a role in paving our path to happiness without being a part of it.

Strange, how those who wish us ill end up helping us grow and live better lives.

Strange, how annoying, boring delays save lives.

Strange, how the rush—that nagging impulse—is just an urgent call to fulfil something before it’s too late.

And isn’t it strange how we make plans, rehearse good speeches, feel things under control…, and then life surprises us in the most miraculous ways.

Isn’t that just life?

Isn’t that why God reminds us: it’s temporary?


With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Spring And May

nhpureandsimple


It’s almost the end of June—I know. But the book I am reading nudged me to use Spring and May in this post.

Don’t you like Spring and May? I believe most of us do. They are full of colours, warmth, hope, beauty, brightenss, rebirth, and so many other positive qualities.

Yet we… no, some… perhaps a few are just fighting the first and engaging in a usuelss war against the second.

Now, just a second— I mean Spring and May literally, not literarily.

Here are two quotes to ponder over this weekend… or perhaps for the rest of your life.

“Don’t go fighting against the Spring.”
To me, this means: don’t try to spoil beautiful moments. If you can not live them, at least pause to appreciate them.

“War not with the May.”
This has a similar interpretation to the other, but war is stronger, more dangerous than fight, right? To start a war is to destroy things completely, mercilessly, savagely.

So, “War not with the May” means: do not destroy life,  beauty, hope, or dreams. Let May live. Perhaps its warmth, feshness, and tendreness can find a way into those dark, solid hearts.

By the way, spring is not just about May. Your soul and heart can blossom at any time throughout your entire life.

Haven’t you seen flowers in December, and green trees in Januray?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Opposites And Light

nhpureandsimple


‘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

Books

Obsession

nhpureandsimple

I wonder if obseission is a psychological, complex problem? In fact, I believe it is.

It is like idolization, you fall for something or someone and make them like air and water in your life. Both are desturctive, but I think obsession is even worse. This is because idolization, sometimes, is out of true love which can be blind or selfish. But, obsession is mainly about possession, fear, and greed.

In both cases, either in idolization or obsession, you can’t see the truth, you can’t listen to reason.

Perhaps, that’s why this quote makes a very good sense: “Truth was something intangible, unseen, which sometimes we stumbled upon and did not recognize, but was found, and held, and understood only by old people near their death, or sometimes by the very pure, the very young.”

Do you agree that only the old, the very young, and the pure can sometimes see the truth? Do you think that might because they are no longer obsessed or have not yet become obessessed?

My Cousin Rachel  by Dephne Du Maurier  can tell you more about obessission. Here’s a link for my review.

/https://nh825.wordpress.com/2025/01/20/my-cousin-rachel/

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Just writing

Cinderella’ Dream

nhpureandsimple



Definitely, Cinderella didn’t dream of marrying the king or the prince. Perhaps, it was because she didn’t descend from the royal family. But, maybe, it was also because she wasn’t after money or fame. According to the story, all Cinderella wanted was a decent life full of kindness and love. But then, the package came with a handsome prince. Would any sensible girl refuse it? Of course, not.

On the other side, have you ever wondered that the prince had also his own dreams, his own wishs? He wasn’t after the pretty princess who lost a pair of her sparkly shoes as she ran away when the clock struck midnight. According to the story, he was also seeking kindness and love.

Isn’t this quote so true: “What you need you attract like a lover.” Better still,  God knows our hearts, what’s lying and hidden deeply there. He listens and makes plans in His perfect timing. That’s part and parcel of Faith, my faith.

Have you read The Rose Garden Husband by Margaret. I like its simplicity and normality. Good stories do not  always have to be complicated and thrilling, do they?

Here’s the link for my book review;

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2025/01/11/the-rose-garden-husband/

With all the best wishes,

Nahla