Tag: thoughts

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

Just writing

The Poem

nhpureandsimple

I picked a random Arabic poem for my daughter to read, and it turned out to be a simple piece with a deep meaning.

It says:

The girl dreams.

The girl draws.

She drew a girl with two wings,

Where will she fly?

She doesn’t know.

She will fly everywhere.

She will whisper to human consciousness: 

Enough pain.

The World has had Enough.

Let peace live on this earth.

Isn’t it beautiful?

Doesn’t the world need a poem like now more than ever?

A poem that carries a child’s dream—

a dream of humanity,

of kindness,

and of peace.

With peaceful thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

The Moon

nhpureandsimple

It seems that January and I are going to play a special game this year.

Yesterday he sent his first greeting, enclosed in snow.

Today he wishes us good night through the full moon.

And what a lovely good night it is! 

I was just going to lock the window when that full, luminous creature showed up in the faraway sky. 

He pushed the dark clouds aside the very moment I was about to draw the curtains.

No words can describe either his beauty or my happiness.

It was a surprise.

A wonderful surprise!

The moon is there in the sky every night. 

Sometimes he hides.

Sometimes he tires.

And sometimes he sleeps.

But… how often do we notice it? 

How often do we pause to feel its light? 

How often do we appreciate its beauty? 

Do you know that in olden times, people were inspired by the moon?

It was a symbol of hope, dreams, and mystery.

But… doesn’t this make sense? 

Every great aspiration dreams higher and higher,

and every “higher” is there, up there in the sky.

Why don’t we just gaze up and contemplate?

With moony thoughts, 

Nahla

Just writing

The First Snow

nhpureandsimple

This was the first greeting on the second of January.

The first snow had landed, safe and sound.

Today painted a wintery image;

with heavy coats, beanies, and gloves;

footprints,

long traffic queues,

and hustle and bustle everywhere.

“It’s snowing!”

I heard everyone scream… figuratively. 

It was fun.

I heard them laughing too. Well … that was actually my daughter and me.

An hour later,

The sun shone on and threw its golden threads across the snow.

The snow glared, and its thin layer began to melt.

Alarmed, the fluffy clouds fled for their lives,

towards a different destination… perhaps yours.

And then… there was no way to make a snowman.

But… maybe January has better surprises than just a snowman.

With snowy thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

So… how was your first morning in 2026? 

nhpureandsimple

Quiet.

Really quiet. 

It seems even the birds decided to wake up late or maybe take the day off, just as humans do on the first of January. 

There was no transport noise.

No people walking around.

Surprisingly, it was sunny,

but it was also bitterly cold.

I looked out of the window and inhaled all that pure quietness.

No picture can capture the beauty of a quiet, fresh morning the way your own eyes do.

January, the most hopeful month, has just arrived and opened its doors with new hopes and dreams.

How can people trade the first morning of January for the last night of December? 

I have no idea!

I wondered for a moment, then hurried off to make breakfast. 

With quiet thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Pride Comes Before The Fall

nhpureandsimple

Do you believe in this moral?

I hope you will keep reading, even if you don’t.

But, I do.

Do you know why?

Here’s why…

Because pompous people are too blind to see anything and anyone but themselves.

They walk the darkest roads, convinced they are the light.

They build vast empire, believing they will last forever, into infinity.

They accumulate wealth and make fortunes, believing that they will never taste need or misery.

They look down on others, convinced that they are the superior, the supreme.

And they hate truth, evade it, and believe they are right even though they know they are wrong.

But…

Dark roads are dangerous, full of humps, holes, and perhaps even a massive trench. And fake light doesn’t give good light. Fake light doesn’t guide. Fake light doesn’t last.

That’s a pompous fall.

Empires may be vast in shape, in power, in wealth. But, before these empires, there were other great empires. All becomes history, and history teaches us we that the greatest empires can vanish in the blink of an eye.

Another pompous fall.

Do wealth and fortune guarantee true happiness or only the hollow repetition of the name without living its meaning? The pompous crave genuine happiness, dream of it, but what they grab is nothing more than the word itself.

Another fall.

Doesn’t it happen that the very ones the pompous looks down on, may one day become their keepers, their leaders, and perhaps even their partners? The tables turn.

Another fall.

Truth is objective, but the pompous makes it subjective.  They miscalculate, misuse, and misjudge, intentionally. Then, instead of admitting their mistake, they raise their heads high, puff their chests, and announce that anything is possible. So, 2+2 can be five, or even ten if they think so. But, truth walks its own path, and survives. 

Another fall.

And there can be more falls. 

If there were no such pride, there would not be so many falls.

Got it!

Now, do you believe in the moral?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Do you think I am right?

nhpureandsimple

Do you like to read a review with a spoiler or not? 

I don’t like spoilers, but sometimes… when a book is too boring to enjoy, too complicated to follow, or… too bold to imagine, I take the shortcut and try them.

But, when I write a review, I try my best to keep it spoiler-free. At the end of the day, what’s the point of giving away the story instead of encouraging others to read it? Most dishes served on golden plates, are not really filling, right?

Have you ever heard the phrase “my mortal enemy”?

Well, that’s the title of the book I’ve just finished. 

Some people curse their lives, blame others for their misfortune, and regret their choices. They begin to believe that the closer the person is, the more likely they are to become an enemy. 

Things happen when, for example, a friend turns against you, or when someone you trusted becomes the cause of problems rather than the solution.

But, what about your inner selfish self, your bitter self that starts all the dilemmas? Could they be your mortal enemy? 

Some stories make you think twice before taking sides with any character, because the morals they give are not always true. 

So, as we say in Arabic: don’t say Amen to whatever others say—remember to use your brain!

With hope and peace,

Nahla 

daily prompt

Can we turn things upside down?

nhpureandsimple

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

So… can we think of the most famous as the most infamous and vice versa?

In other words, why can a celebrity be the most famous, while the teacher, for example, is the last, or perhaps nonexistent, in the list of the most famous?

Can we swap positions, so the celebrity goes down the list and the teacher goes up to be the most famous? 

I hope your head isn’t spinning right now, or is it?

Mine actually is.

But don’t you get it? 

Some people can be famous but without big celebrations, shiny gowns, best-selling books, or seven zeros in their bank account? They can be the most famous because of something simple yet special about them—something that shines without glitter, something that resounds without raucous noise, and something that attracts with respect. 

Wouldn’t it be a good change to think of the famous and the infamous in this way? 

You may discover that you are more famous in your own surroundings than those in the media or politics. 

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Philosophical musings

They Say These Are Just Dreams 

nhpureandsimple

… but dreams may come true. 

How many times have you dreamed of things, impossible in your mind, yet one day they do come true?

Sometimes your dreams seem just like… the mountain summit; too hard to imagine, too far to climb, and too impossible to reach. 

But then, one says, “I have a dream,” while another says, “these are just fussy, meaningless dreams.” The difference between them is that one truly begins climbing the mountain to achieve something, anything, while the other waits down there, laughing, still wondering what a silly, unfathomable dream might be!

For the climber, to reach the summit, to cheer from up there, to enjoy the panoramic view all around from the top, is worth every step, every ache, and every drop of sweat. From now on, there will be no turning back, only moving forward—for every dream can come true.

For the others watching from down there, they wander about with mocking laughter, a few steps, a little effort, and no sweat. Poor them, they can’t see what the climber sees, they will not learn what the climber learns, and they will never understand how dreams can come true.

By the way, don’t you agree that to have a dream doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a president, a royal, or even a scholar? To have a dream is to have a purpose with valuable meaning. In other words, a dream has to do with something that can guide rather than mislead. It is a disaster if selfishness and pride are the sole motivations behind one’s dreams; actually this can be worse than having no dreams at all. 

Do you remember those old days dreams?

As children, we were often asked, “What do you want to be in the future?

Do you remember the boy who said, “I want to be an upright judge.” 

And the other who said, “an honest lawyer.”

And that girl who wanted to be a kind teacher. And another who dreamed of becoming a merciful doctor. 

These little noble dreams often came true, turning into something useful, generous, and prosperous.

Now, please do not to be pessimistic for even amid all the media madness and money mania, these little noble dreams still exist.

There will always be those who surprise us with true, prosperous dreams coming true.

With hope and peace,

Nahla