Tag: reflections

Philosophical musings

If It Isn’t Broken…

nhpureandsimple

Don’t fix it.

Have you heard this saying before?

It can have different interpretations, though.

The most obvious choice is to keep going, to follow the crowd, repeat the same routine, and perhaps make the same mistakes, as long as things are not broken

But isn’t it a dangerous advice?

I heard its equivalent in Egypt. People say, “if it works, let it work.

Same meaning, right.

But what if it’s working badly or awkwardly or uselessly?

Yes, it’s working.

Yes, it’s usable.

And yes, it’s better than nothing.

But what’s wrong with fixing things that aren’t broken?

And first, do unbroken things really need any fixing?

Well… that depends on how you see things.

Fixing can mean replacing, discarding, or abandoning a thing or an idea or even a person.

But it can also mean rethinking, reshaping and reliving.

It can be an invitation to make some changes, some improvements to whatever we’re having or doing. 

Imagine you have an old china cup with a few scratches, crakes, and maybe a broken handle.

You use it every day.

You drink your hot tea from it.

You wash it.

You dry it.

And you put it back in the cupboard safe and sound.

You keep it this way until its time comes when it either bursts or slips from your hands and smashs against the floor.

Some will throw it away.

Some will try to fix it by gluing its pieces back together.

In either cases, it will no longer be used for drinking or washing.

It becomes either a souvenir or goes straight into the bin.

So why couldn’t it become a souvenir a long time ago?

Because it wasn’t broken.

And what’s wrong with fixing it while it was still usable with giving it new ideas, new benefits, or even new memories? 

Sometimes, we don’t just practise this easy-peasy strategy, but we believe in it. 

If it works, let it work.

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Until it’s too late. 

Until we finally realise that everything has its time…

And it’s much better to fix it before it breaks.

With fixing thoughts, 

Nahla

Just writing

Salt and Sugar

nhpureandsimple

They look exactly the same, don’t they?

But one tastes sweet,

and the other tastes salty.

Both are needed —

but not too much.

and not artificial.

Life can’t be without both.

It is a mix of salt and sugar.

We need its salt to make it liveable.

We need its sugar to make it enjoyable.

Without them, life would be tasteless,

wouldn’t it?

People can be salt and sugar too.

Have you ever met someone who adds a bit of flavour to a gathering, a meeting, or even a party? 

They might bring a joke, a touch of humour, or even an unfathomable argument, but they change the dull mood and stir life back into the company.

In Arabic, we say this person is the salt of the gathering.

And… have you ever met someone who makes everything taste sweet even the bitter coffee?

These are the ones who smile at you, reassure you when things get hard, and show up whenever you need them.

They are like natural sugar; sweet, simple, and healthy. 

You know what? 

They say that salt and sugar are among the most dangerous substances in modern civilisation.

Of course they are; but that’s mainly about the artificial ones, the fake ones, the man-made ones. 

So why mix things up?

But… life will never run out of the genuine person who is the salt of the gathering, and the kind one who is the sugar for the soul.

With salt-and-sugar thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

The Narcissist

nhpureandsimple

Haven’t I told you that I’m not a fan of any -ism concepts?

I had to study and use them, though, for my postgraduate studies.

Anyway, this is the one that crossed my mind just now as I was watching snaps of the news.

Don’t you think that this Narcissism whether as a concept, a mental illness, or even just as a sound is really hideous.

And they say there’s a narcissism test.

Why?

The man who fell in love with his own reflection didn’t need any test to prove his mental identity. He wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed or guilty of his most dominant personal trait—narcissism.

Science with its numerous and various theories, explores and investigates the different forms, conditions, causes, effects of this self–obsessive man, and perhaps of his precious reflection too.

Their research studies came out with some psychological remedies and techniques.

They tried meditation, therapies, and some exercises too.

Unfortunately, to my humble knowledge, nothing has worked so far.

The man was still obsessed with his reflection, and perhaps with his mirror too.

He heard only his own voice, saw only his perfect shape, and adored nothing but his own self.

Research papers offered another explanation: 

This condition may be hereditary, or perhaps an incurable disease like madness.

“How funny?”

The man and his reflection burst out laughing.

“I am the best.”

“I have the best.”

“I know the best.”

“I do the best.”

“I live the best.”

“That’s who I am.”

“That’s what I do.”

“And that’s how I’ll ever live.”

The researchers stepped back wondering what else to do?

Instead of one man with a self-obsessed reflection, there began to be thousands of him and of his reflection.

A wise man passed by.

He had been watching the series with all its episodes.

He smiled and said:

“Can’t you see? The man fell in love with his reflection because he wanted to.

It’s a choice.

And he made his mind to love mainly and only his reflection and to remain that way.”

“The support and encouragement of altruism may be the only solution.

Not only to shake the pride of narcissist, 

but also to steady the balance of the altruist.”

Sometimes we need to listen more to the wise than to science.

Don’t we.

With mindful thoughts,

Nahla

Philosophical musings

What Do You Think About The Stars?

nhpureandsimple

Well… this is not astronomy or astrology or astrophysics. I have nothing to do with any of those.

I simply think of stars as stars; luminous lanterns created to shine in the sky, to guide, or once used to guide, our ancestors across land and sea all over the globe. 

Strange how little we see of them nowadays. They still exist in abundance up there in the sky, but most of us are busy, mainly chasing human stars, brand stars, evaluation stars, review stars, and those golden and silver stars. But those literal stars cannot compare to a single luminous creature shining up there in the sky. Its distance, its quality, its meaning, its light, its power, its mystery, all are beyond compare.

In olden times, when human life was deeply connected with those sky lanterns, people personified them as the best of the best. Those far away stars were friends, listeners, watchers, consultants, lovers, and more. Poets wove them into poetry. Travellers took them as companions. Workers waited for them. Children counted them. Lovers dreamed beneath them. Even animals and birds nestled into their places with the first sight of them.

Have you ever noticed how real stars rarely appear amid noise? You have to seek them in quiet, simple places ; on mountains, by the sea, across dessert sands, or anywhere tranquil. Their silver light is a treasure, revealed only to those who pause to appreciating it. 

Now what do you think about the stars?

Here’s a verse from Gibran’s poem,

“The sorrow of the soul is nothing but an illusion, that doesn’t last, and the clouds of the soul reveal the stars within its folds.”

Can you see that the stars symbolise the light that can be seen even in the most greyest and darkest night—yourself?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

personal thoughts

Hate Or Envy

nhpureandsimple

Both are destructive feelings, but which one do you think is worse?

I don’t know about you, but I believe envy is far more harmful and destructive. It’s envy that opens the door wide to hate, but not the other way around. For example, you hate evil, but you would never envy it. Hate is a stong word which is used for limited and specific reasons or occasions — that’s how our hearts work.

Isn’t it interesting that the heart in Arabic is called Qalb which means something that constantly turns or changes? This can explain why the people or things you hate today, might be the ones you like tomorrow.

On the other hand, envy is an awful disease. It is fed by pride, grows on jealousy, and produces one rotten fruit — hate. It begins as a small, sickly plant called jealousy. One day, you notice that your colleague at college is popular and beloved by all. You start watching them, and wishing them ill. That is when the sharp thorns of envy begins to sprout on the sickly plant. Eventually, you start plotting against your colleague. By this point, the rotton fruit of hate has blossomed, bearing no goodness, and knowing no mercy.
“I want what is yours” “I am better than you” “I will destroy you” the envier whispers, and laughs out loud.

Years ago, my teacher spoke to us about the dangers of envy, describing it as a satanic trait. “Hadn’t Satan been jealous of Adam? Hadn’t he envied Adam? Hadn’t he promised to destroy Adam and all his descendants? He had, full of pride, and challenging God,” my teacher explained and advised us to strive for a positive and healthy mindset. “Instead of focusing on the others, focus on yourselves. If you admire something in others, try to create your own version of it. And, if you find things staring to lean towards envy, pray and pray and pray. God will guide you towards finding your way out.”

May your heart never know envy, and be full of love!

Amen

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Villians

nhpureandsimple


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