Tag: reading

daily prompt

Reading: The Underrated Skill

nhpureandsimple

What’s the most underrated life skill?

Yes, reading is one of the most underrated skill.

Sometimes, I wonder whether people actually consider reading as a skill. But of course it is a skill.

They say that if you know how to read a text, you will know how to form and answer questions. 

That’s why, in schools, students always have comprehension texts in their language exams. You can say that these are tests of their reading skills. 

But the problem is that there’s a big difference between reading as a hobby and reading as a skill. Comprehension exercises in exams need good reading skills so that students can understand how to answer the questions. That’s why students are taught certain techniques as they practice comprehension texts before their exams.

One of these techniques is to quickly scan the text. The second is to read with good concentration. The third is to focus on the main points in the text. 

Now, reading as a hobby is a wonderful companion. It offers knowledge, enrich speaking, and, of course improve writing.

Reading as a hobby also creates a good, solid foundation for practising and understanding all reading techniques without the pressure of tests. 

If you read about different topics, you will surely have some knowledge of different genres of books, and that will automatically offer you different reading techniques.

Reading fiction, for example, is not like reading a philosophical book.

Fiction techniques are based on imagination, wordplay, imagery and senses.

Philosophy techniques are mainly based on deep thinking, concepts, and long threads of complex, entangled words.

Have you noticed anything of what I have just mentioned in this post in your reading?

I hope you have.

Because if you have, then you agree that reading is a skill that has been underrated for so long.

With reading thoughts,

Nahla

Daily thoughts, Just writing

Readingship

nhpureandsimple

Which relationship has taught you the most about yourself?

So before starting this post, I’d like to announce that Readingship is my new addition to the English Vocabulary. Perhaps one day, it will be accepted and added to English dictionaries. If that happens, I hope I will  be credited with full rights for making up a new and special word that connects readers and books.

Now back to this post. 

Readingship is a wonderful sort of relationship. It not only opens the door wide to let you learn about different things, but it also helps you more than you can imagine. This Readingship can help you improve yourself, your life, and even your way of thinking. This readingship offers you the kind of good company that you have almost lost faith in finding through friendship. 

And you know what? Readingship makes wonderful company; pure, simple companionship that can be better than friends who may, out of the blue, disappear or give you the cold shoulder for no sensible reason or even an insensible one. But then Readingship comes not only to the rescue, but also with comfort, reassurance, and a sense of safety. 

If you believe in Readingship, why not come aboard?

It’s all about getting into the reading ship and pretending to be its sailor.

You will find a vast sea full of different books.

You may explore here and there, or a pick a story.

A book might make you laugh, cry, or scared.

It might give you a headache or soothe your troubled soul.

You might love it or hate it.

But as you engage in this Readingship journey, you will never feel the same as when you first stepped onto the ship.

You no longer feel lonely.

You feel more and more excited.

And you surely feel safe; remember you’re the sailor aboard the reading ship.

You stop worrying  about who gets on and who leaves.

You’re on your ship, sailing into many different worlds.

With readingship thoughts,

Nahla 

Daily thoughts

Which Fictional Character?

nhpureandsimple

If you had to switch lives with a fictional character for a week, who would you choose?

I’ve read too many fictional books that it’s hard to think of a certain character to swap lives.

Some of those characters stayed with me, like Jane Eyre. 

By the way Jane Eyre was the first novel I read and studied for my English degree. I loved this book, and later I read more by Charlotte Bronte. 

I liked other fictional characters too: Anne Shirley, Judy Abbot, and others I can’t remember right now. 

But honestly, I can’t imagine swapping lives with any. My imagination can’t work on this idea. 

Perhaps it’s because these characters belong to someone else; their authors. 

I believe writers temporarily swap lives with their characters, to make them come alive on the page.

And as you read, you become an invisible guest hiding under a magical cloak; seeing things, but not seen. 

So perhaps the best option is to write a book and create your own story.

Hopefully, one day, I will.

With fiction–and–characters thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Nobility

nhpureandsimple

Some people glow by effort,

while others glow simply by their presence.

Some strive to glow,

while others glow naturally.

Some want to glow,

while others are born glowing. 

You could say it’s simply a divine gift.

This post was inspired by this quote: 

“Common souls pay with what they do, nobler souls with that which they are.”

Sometimes we need to pause for a moment as we read to contemplate, breathe, and discover the beauty hidden behind bare words.

With noble thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

My First Cooking Book

nhpureandsimple

What’s a book you never finished but still think about?

Years ago, during the final steps of my wedding preparations, my mother insisted that I should have one of those well- known cooking books in my new home. She had already bought me one before I had even thought about it. 

Before getting married, I used to help in the kitchen, but I had never been in charge of making full meals or anything complicated.

So my mother (may God bless her soul) believed that a cooking book would be a good help.

Honestly, I never used it, and I have no idea where I left it.

I might have had a look at it, though, but that was all.

Since then, whenever a booking book, with its colourful, mouth watering pictures and recipes, fell into my hands, I would give it a quick scan and put it back where I found it.

This doesn’t mean I don’t like cooking, because I do.

The thing is, perfection, consistency, exact measurements, are not on every woman’s cooking agenda.

By the way, would you really pause one day to think about a book that you never finished?

If the book was really of any interest to you, then you would have finished it. 

Otherwise, you’d ruffle through its pages and quietly set it aside without anyone noticing.

With a-book-never-finished thoughts,

Nahla 

P.S. the falafel in the photo are not home-made.

Daily thoughts

Thinking Too Much

nhpureandsimple

Sometimes thinking too much is not only frustrating but also a kind of torture.

So, for example, when you think too much about writing something, you end up writing nothing at all.

Have you ever felt this way?

I usually don’t think too much before writing. When an idea or a quote or a book or whatever strikes me as inspiration, I grab my iPad and write. 

Of course that’s when there are no distractions around.

And I have too many distractions these days.

Now, back to my Thinking Too Much post, the idea simply popped into my head this afternoon as I was reading.

I’ve been reading more of Lisa Wingate’s books. Her writing style is one of the things that won’t bore readers, even when the story itself isn’t that surprising.

For me, a story becomes more interesting when its narrative is captivating.

Anyway, the main character in the book is one of those people who thinks too much, giving both herself and me as a reader a headache.

But this kind of inner turmoil happens in life too. Right.

Some people weave a drama inside their heads that has nothing to do with reality. Or they weave things that do have something to do with reality, but don’t need all this drama.

In both scenarios, the drama doesn’t end until you spill it out. When you finally reveal what’s bothering, what’s annoying, or what’s frightening; all that have been buzzing in your head suddenly quiet down. It feels as if the door was wide open all along, and you were only looking through its magic eye.

The heroine in the story is exactly this type, and she stays that way until truth and reality meet her face to face.

But reading this inner turmoil is not like feeling it. I mean if you ever write your inner overthinking drama down and read it later, you might be surprised by your reaction because you would definitely laugh at yourself.

You would say: why think too much, why not explain things, why not ask about things, can’t you see the open door there, all the time? All you need is to step in, straightaway.

Things may turn out simpler and clearer than what you’ve been weaving into your head. And if they don’t, then at least you can step away but never back behind the door again.

And finally, this post is done and hopefully I’ll finish the book by the end of today.

And perhaps no more overthinking ever again.

With thinking-too-much thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Can It Be a Coincidence?

nhpureandsimple

What is your favorite quote?

I was scrolling through Insta for a while, then stopped when the notification for the limited time I had set popped onto the screen.

After that, I opened my reading book; the story is actually interesting, and I am planning to finish it today.

So, just after highlighting a quote, another notification appeared, but, this time, it was WordPress daily prompts.

I paused…

The quote I highlighted is one of my favourites, and the daily prompt asks about my favourite quote.

Can it be a coincidence?

Really.

I didn’t just highlight the quote, I lingered around certain memories. And that was exactly when the prompt appeared, as if nudging me not to lose the moment, to write about it now.

And here’s the quote:

“Forgiveness given is forgiveness gained.”

And here I am, writing about forgiveness.

But first, how do you see forgiveness?

Is it a merit or a fault?

Is it a strength or a weakness?

Is it possible or impossible?

You think… and decide.

As for me, I see Forgiveness exactly as that quote above.

It’s a win, a fair, clean win after an atrocious fight against painful memories, unforgettable hurts, professional lies.

Forgiveness doesn’t come with a silver spoon.

Since there’s a fight, things take time, a really long time, unless you’re an angel, a one-hundred precent angel, who can grant forgiveness straightaway.

Forgiveness shows up in its perfect timing.

This is when you appreciate how blessed, how saved, how strong you are,

when you close your eyes and recollect your bad moments,

and when you whisper to the Creator, asking for His forgiveness.

Then you remember you too need to forgive others.

Once the action is done with pure intention, your life feels brighter, wider, and healthier.

But… just a little note to pin; 

you don’t have to include forget in the forgiveness deal.

Nor do you have to befriend or keep in touch with those who hurt you.

Which means things don’t have to end like a dead-end road, but rather like two separate roads. 

You forgive and start yours.

They feel relieved and take theirs. 

Now… was the quote and the daily prompt a coincidence?

Maybe.

But… can it be a heavenly whisper to extend goodness?

With forgiveness thoughts,

Nahla

holidays

Reading In July

nhpureandsimple

Well… I wish I could say I finished the book I started reading at the first of July, but I didn’t. 

People say you can read more during the summer holidays, 

but things went totally the opposite for me.

July was my least supportive month for reading.

It was a busy, buzzy month.

Still, my hopes were high, so high that I downloaded two books on Kindle.

I imagined that during the long flight to Malaysia, I would finish both books.

I even thought I would download and read more.

My plan vanished into thin air the moment I fastened my seatbelt on the plane.

Our outward and return flights were both early morning, too early to think of anything except falling asleep.

And then, we arrived full of enthusiasm, couldn’t wait to start our new adventure.

I set my book aside, promising to pick it up before going to bed.

But then, at bedtime, I felt not only tired but awfully drained.

‘Tomorrow at breakfast, I will do some reading,’ I promised my book.

The poor book trapped on Kindle app, sighed and moaned and shed a few tears.

The following day, I woke up late, missed my breakfast, and rushed to get ready to explore more of the city with my family.

‘I broke my promise,’ I remembered and vowed to grab a few moments for reading at any time during the day.

The same routine, with the same unfulfilled promises, repeated day after day. 

Then one day, I woke up with a sore throat, really sore, and blocked ears and nose. 

‘Relax today,’ I decided, and grabbed my iPad to clear the air with my poor book.

The book tittered and muttered as I ruffled through the pages, looking for the page I stopped at.

I had no energy to argue or fight or make peace.

I escaped from the kindle app to WordPress.

Sipping my lemon tea, I wrote a few posts. Two or three? I’ll check the accurate number later.

So even if my reading was poor in July, writing came to the rescue of productivity by adding a few writing pieces during the holiday month.

With July-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla 

daily prompt

Simple Advice: Just Listen

nhpureandsimple

What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?

Whether you’re 10, 20, or 23 plus — Please Read.

Reading is better than television,

better than cinema,

better than social media,

better than nonsense talk,

and yes, even better than football. 

By the end of the day, they all consume their energy, 

eat your brain, 

and dull your senses.

Books can restore it all.

And reading doesn’t ask for money, subscriptions, or travel visa.

It only asks for a little of your time everyday, and in return it offers great rewards.

The best two rewards are: 

a healthy brain

and a loyal companion.

So… please read.

With book-reading 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