Tag: wordpress

Just writing

The Old, Famous Slogan 

nhpureandsimple

If you could change the ending of any book, which one would it be?

I’ve just come across an old slogan in my reading book.

By the way, I am reading two at the moment: one fiction and one non- fiction. 

And my reading rhythm is going at a turtle’s  pace. 

Hopefully, I’ll finish at least one by the end of this month.

Oh my… it’s already the 26th.

And it’s so hot today.

So I’ve been thinking… perhaps instead of changing the ending of a book, we can change one of its quotes, can’t we? 

Now, that famous slogan I came across was actually an advertising catchphrase for an old brand of men’s hair crème.

I’m not sure if the brand still exists.

But of course, my reading book has a totally different content, about a totally different subject.

I was really drawn to that quote because I believe such a casual, simple phrase can carry blossoms of wisdom. So, I decided to change it.

Now here’s the quote:

“A little dab’ll do ya.”

The advert was offering a piece of advice for healthy, shiny hair.

But in a flash of light, my brain saw something broader.

And then I turned the old slogan into this brief piece : 

A little of everything will be sufficient.

Don’t overthink.

Don’t overreact.

And definitely don’t overeat.

This way,

your mind,

your feelings,

and your body

will always be at peace. 

I don’t think my version suits any hair crème advert, but it certainly suits your wellbeing in general.

With a little-will-do-thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

There’s Always a Second Trial

nhpureandsimple

Why a second blog? 

I’ve already asked myself this question too many times.

One day, I decided to be more disciplined by creating a separate blog for my book reviews and quotes. 

We usually feel excited when we start something new, right?

So I was excited when the idea struck me like thunder striking a tree.

Then my reading mood changed— for a long time, and my second blog got bored.

It actually fell into a slumber, then a nap, and finally a long, sound sleep. 

Honestly, I almost forget about it, which only made things worse.

My poor blog was almost on the brink of… some deep psychological loneliness. 

And just before its final departure, I realised there was something missing. 

Aha, my second blog! I slapped my forehead, and decided to give it a second go.

It was a wonder how I regained my interest. I tried to give it a new look and some easy exercise.

And so…

even if we give up sometimes,

there’s always a second trial.

Things may need a little change,

perhaps an open window,

to breathe again and feel fresher.

With a new trial thoughts,

Nahla

nh825.wordpress.com

daily prompt

Mars, Humans, And Life

nhpureandsimple

Do you think humans will ever colonize Mars? What would life there actually look like?

Can you guess what’s the first thing that crossed my mind as I read this prompt about life on Mars?

It wasn’t the possibility of new life.

Not the chance of finding inhabitants living there.

And not even the idea of humans starting wars to invade and occupy the planet. 

But of course that would still be occupation, as if humans don’t already have enough to deal with on our dear planet Earth.

Now… what actually popped into my head was the image of one of those social media stars embarking on a new adventure to Mars. 

He or she would prattle nonstop about their nearly two way spaceship trip to Mars.

They would put on this spaceman costume.

Smile at the live camera,

maybe even record a prayer or two for safety.

Then, before disappearing into the spaceship, they would promise live vlogs from Mars.

Is there internet on Mars? The thought cut right into my imagination.

But really, if there is internet on Mars, some friends over there might have already heard of us, and they maybe… try to get in touch through WordPress.

Anyway, let’s see how this superstar vlogger’s trip ended.

After one whole month off social media, they land safely on our precious Earth.

Spaceman costume on, camera in hand, broad smile on face, and with a shaky emotional voice, they began their first live vlog.

“Can’t express my real emotions.

Such scary but marvellous trip.

Can’t believe it

Am I dreaming?”

And the tap of comments, likes, and shares explodes; wows, nos, and oh my God, racing one after another.

“Sorry guys, just landed, and I lost my phone.” The superstar seems in a rush.

“Thieves on Mars,” one follower comments.

“I’ll tell you everything. You know honesty is my motto in life.

Wait for the next vlogs.

I will share more about my adventure on the moon.”

“Wasn’t it Mars?” Another follower comments.

“Oh, my head is upside down,” the famous vlogger replies and vanishes.

“That’s all fake,” someone comments

“Yes, all fake,” a thousand comments follow.

Nowadays… fake is more popular than reality, but it’s easily spotted.

I don’t know whether there’s life on Mars, or whether life is even possible there.

What I do know is why some people set their eyes on what they don’t own.

Why some abandon what they already have for something they can barely reach.

And why people want to build a new home instead of fixing the one they have.

Apparently, if Mars ever heard of human plans, he would shake with laughter, wondering how his neighbour’s intruders from Earth expect to survive  his freezing cold deserts. 

How wise Mars is,

how disappointed Earth must be,

And how fake some humans can be.

With Mars and humans thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Collections Over the Years

nhpureandsimple

Do you have any collections?

Over the years, I kept one of the most unique collection I could have imagined to have. Friends.

But… I wish I could say I still have it.

Most of this collection faded into very pale colours; you can say it’s almost colourless.

This collection is related to my friends back home.

We haven’t been in contact for years.

I was one of the last to step into the world of social media, and when I did, I began searching for my old friends.

But then… those old friends are not the same.

And I am not the same.

So it was nice to find them, and to keep them in the album, even if in faded colours. 

And there’s another collection filled with colourful pictures but no album can keep them forever.

This one belongs to the many people I came to know and befriend after I stepped onto the British land. 

I loved this collection.

It was full of different colours, tongues, and traditions from all over the world. 

Can you believe it? I treasured this collection even more than the first.

But one can’t keep this collection in a single album. 

Some go back to their countries,

some leave for different ones,

and some, just like me, keep moving around, but still in the UK.

This collection turned into some unique photos and a once upon a time album

And… there is this special collection; the one that doesn’t relate to people but to… writing.

My posts.

They discover me, and I discover them.

This collection is renewable, and its album promises to never run out of pages.

With special collections thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Simple Recipe for Driving Life

nhpureandsimple

Release.

Accept.

Live.

And—

Don’t stare long into the mirror,

into the past,

into the dark.

or …

into your fear.

What is missed is missed.

Embrace the change.

And focus on the present.

The road ahead might have more surprises,

than what’s been left behind.

Long story short;

Steer your life as safely as you steer the wheel of your car.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

daily prompt, Just writing

Can a Blog Be Your Favourite Place?

nhpureandsimple

What is your favorite place to go in your city?

Why not?

All you have to do is to think about it.

Actually, I like this idea. 

I like to think about how, in my blog, I begin to practise creativity, how I find my voice, and how ideas and thoughts start to flow. 

It becomes my favourite place in my city of writing. 

By the way, I have another favourite place in my imaginative city—books. 

You can’t write without reading, can you?

Books are not only for reading with your eyes but also for imagining with your mind.

You imagine characters, and you also imagine their places, their cities, and their era.

Or you may prefer science, philosophy, or even politics, and there too, you’ll find yourself as if you were in your favourite place.

So, wherever you live, in a small or big city, if you pick up a book and really enjoy it, your reading will turn into a visit, short or long, to a special, imaginative spot in your imaginative city.

Just imagine: step out for a moment from the real world, from the actual city. 

Now step into your imaginative city,

to write

or to read.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Should I take such umbrage in this situation?

nhpureandsimple

Well… sometimes you just don’t know how or why people behave this way or that? And honestly, in this situation, it’s better not to make a big deal of it.

So, today my daughter and I took the bus home. It wasn’t busy, but it was so warm inside the bus. All the windows were locked, and most people seemed to have a bad cold.

Isn’t it normal to open the window where you sit?

I think it is, especially if you feel like sitting in a sauna.

So, I consulted my neighbour, who was my daughter, and she said, “yes please mama.”

I stood, stretched to reach it, and finally pulled it open. Sometimes you just wonder why they design the windows that high… but perhaps it’s for some safety reasons.

Anyway, how refreshing it was to feel the cool air above your head, and to smell the scent of the fresh rain instead of the thick, condensed air inside the bus.

Just a few minutes later, and as my daughter and I were talking, and out of nowhere, I heard a woman’s voice nearby, not asking or even suggesting that the window be closed but saying she was closing it. In a flash, she pushed it shut, and just like a ghost disappeared.

For a second, my daughter and I looked at each other, wondering why she closed the window. She wasn’t the one sitting next to it, and since the seats in front and behind us were empty, there was no way she would be affected by it.

As our journey wasn’t taking long, I didn’t make a fuss. I told my daughter, “Perhaps she was sensitive to the fresh, cold air.” We smiled, and continued our conversation, and soon got out into the real fresh air.

Should I have taken umbrage at such behaviour?

I think… I did better by ignoring her and her action completely.

What do you think?

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Please Bear With Me

nhpureandsimple

Starting today, please don’t be surprised if I like and dislike your post at the same time. Or if you catch me me follow a conversation I have no idea how and when I get into. Or if I subscribe and then unsubscribe to your blog. 

Oh my … I am pretty sure things like that have happened before, but honestly that’s mainly because of a lagging internet connection or a frozen screen. If this happens today or tomorrow, or even already did, my sincere apologies!

So starting now, hopefully for just a few days, I might be a bit clumsy because I am using a new device. Every time I switch to a new one, funny things happen. Sometimes I wish I had kept the old one as there was no thing wrong with it. But my sons want to get me a special gift for my special day, and here I am using it. It’s actually great, but my brain needs time to befriend it. 

You know the most annoying thing right now? It is Jetpack app. I can’t find the Reader icon as I used to on the other device. So I’ve switched to using WordPress in the browser, and I’m trying to navigate my way through it.

Hopefully things will get better soon.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Are You the Same Person?

nhpureandsimple

Oh, don’t think I’m wondering whether you are a real person or an AI. No, this post isn’t about that.

It’s about how much you’ve changed since you started blogging on WordPress.

It’s a bit hard—no a bit weird— to assess yourself. Of course, you can feel the change in yourself, but it’s just odd to evaluate your own work. You can’t be both the examiner and the examined at the same time, right?

When I first started blogging in 2017, I was looking for some change, or better yet, some adventure. My writings were mostly family–based topics. Step by step, new ideas and thoughts began flowing and flooding into my posts.

Do you know what happened next?

In October 2018, I joined a part-time MA program. Can you believe that without my WordPress blog, I probably wouldn’t have been able to enroll? Why? Because in my application, I needed to attach some of my published work. I would have never believed that my WordPress posts could count as published work, but they did. And two years later, I was awarded my MA degree in Creative Writing. Honestly, I had no idea that one thing would lead me to the other—God’s plan, right?

From 2017 onwards, I felt as if I had discovered a secret garden— one filled with trees, flowers, and beautiful birds. And it wasn’t any far—just around the corner, inside my own mind. The garden wasn’t only colourful but serene, with no mayhem, no pressure, and no fixed times. Just me, my thoughts, and my writing.

It wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to pause my visits to my secret garden–not completely, but mainly my blog.The reason was nothing more than the pandemic, with all its chaos affecting everyone. Still, I can’t believe that pause lasted for four years. I haven’t forgotten about my blog, nor have I stopped writing. On the contrary, I wrote and read more than ever before. That’s why I don’t regret my decision back then, becuase I had learned to appreciate every day of my life with both its good and bad moments.

In February 2024, I revisited my WordPress blog with fresh excitement. DailyPrompt was the first thing I spotted, and it felt like a warm welcome back. Since then, I’ve restarted my blogging journey.

I believe my writing style hasn’t changed much, nor has my voice, but my thoughts have. Isn’t that expected? Eight years are not like eight days.

There’s a quote that says: “You won’t find the same person twice, not even in the same person.” This doesn’t necessarily imply to find an entirely different or bad person instead. The idea suggests that change is natural, and a healthy experience that simply needs to be sought out and nurtured.

Do I need to answer the first question in my post, or you, as my assessor, already gets the answer?


With hope and peace,

Nahla







Books, Just writing

Idolization

nhpureandsimple

Just look at how people follow a special player, or jump on stage to hug that famous singer, or run after a remarkable actor to take a selfie. And look at those who bow, kneel, and even kiss the ground that this leader or that walks on. This idolization has been the same throughout the ages, it’s obviously disgusting these days because of the social media madness.

Have you ever thought how those idols throughout the ages take but, never give? They don’t know you, won’t care about you. Whether in the form af a celebrity, a leader, or a political party, they want you, as a number, as a voice. They stand high and long, here and there, just like statues. Their strength and durability depend on the expertise of their craftsmenship. But, they never live becuase statues are soulless, vague, and empty. And, one day, they would be dumped, forgotten, and replaced by other statues.

I remember one day while watching a documentary about a famous Egyptian singer from the seventies, there were women throwing themselves out of the top windows of high buildings. Were they really happy following him into the grave? I wondered, thinking how those people will one day answer to God for commiting suicide. This is completely blind idolization, which I believe is so destructive, so humiliated, so pathetic.

On another occasion, when I first came to live in the UK, I met different people. My first friend and neighbour was following the Shia Mathhab. By the way, we didn’t introduce ourselves as Shia and Sunni. These differences just seemed to be obvious. Well, as my friend and I used to visit each other quite a lot, I noticed that there are certain things that she was celebrating and practising which I wasn’t. I asked her about that and she simply replied, ‘I swear I don’t  care about this Imama or that, I just do what my mother does.’ We burst out laughing. How simple and funny our life would be, if we don’t idolize our differences!

Children, of course, might idolize their parents, or students idolise their noble mentors but that’s out of pure love and ultimate reverence, because they deserve it. These people in our lives are the ones who really care and love us.They can not be replaced, can not purchased.

By the way I have just finished The Stationary Shop Of Tehran. It’s a good book, I enjoyed it, enjoyed more reading about Persian Culture and traditions which are a bit different from my Arabic ones. Herewith is my book review, hope you will like it.

The Stationary Shop of Tehran

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

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