Nurturing Imagination | Issue 03.

The Fertile Ground of Creativity Generates Life Through Dark Times

Dear Imagination 
by Samreen Makfhi
Mango tree that blooms in the drought
of my heart. You help me find beauty
in the cracked walls of my life,
like wild tulips growing from stone.
When the four walls of my home
close around me like a mountain pass
in winter, you become the wind
crossing the Hindu Kush, carrying me
to the life my heart keeps sketching
in secret. You place saffron fields
beneath my feet, open a thousand
caravan roads inside my mind.
I feed you with my breath, my hunger,
my sleepless hours.
More than bread in my stomach
you keep me alive.

---

Violet Bloom: A Handmade Memory
by Huda 

I am the content creator behind Moonlit Pages, where I design and share creative bookmark ideas and handmade inspired content. I enjoy turning simple ideas into aesthetic and meaningful visuals that reflect calmness, beauty, and imagination.

Through my work, I try to connect creativity with emotion, making each design feel personal and thoughtful. Moonlit Pages is a small space where I can express my love for art, storytelling, and peaceful, artistic vibes.

My creative Instagram page, Moonlit Pages.

I made this handmade birthday card using different shades of purple and violet paper to give it a soft and calming vibe. I also used real flowers that I had collected and pressed inside a book for a week, and after they dried, I carefully added them to the design. I really enjoyed creating this piece because it feels simple, creative, and full of positive energy. It reflects my love for handmade art and the small details that make something feel special and personal. I also made a video of this process.

---

Cinematic Nature Video, Part Two
by Heela

I filmed this video in Chemtal Sai, a place that felt peaceful and inspiring to me. Traveling there gave me time to enjoy nature, clear my thoughts, and appreciate the beauty around me. The quiet atmosphere and beautiful views reminded me to stay positive and keep working toward my goals even during difficult times. Through this video, I wanted to share not only the scenery of Chemtal Sai, but also the feeling of calmness, motivation, and hope that I experienced while being there.

---

The June 9th Protest in Herat
by Shiwa Rahimi

Today, I wish I could walk the streets of my city, Herat.

I want to feel the fresh air, wear what I want, see the happy faces of people, hear the city’s bustle, and watch the bright sun over the blue sky.

But I can’t. This simple wish—for me—is a big dream, while for many of you it might seem small.

Today, I cannot step outside my home in the clothing I want because I could be arrested.

Why can’t I have the right to choose?
Why can’t I have the right to freedom?
Is this really fair?
Do I even have the right to live freely?

I want to raise my voice, but I am alone.

No one stands with me to defend my rights.

No one supports me to speak out.

Is there a world that will hear our voices?

Where are the institutions that claim to help—like the UN, UN Women, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International?

Do they see the position we are in?

Do they see our rights being denied?

I share this because silence is not an option. Every voice matters, and ours deserve to be heard.

---

Freedom to Me
by Farukhlines
I wish I was a bird free, far away, and calm  
I wish I could fly over the clouds and past the moon 
without stress 
without heavy thoughts  
just me and the sky  
no tears 
no pain 
just endless smiles 
and endless flying  
sometimes 
I just wanna disappear into the wind 
and forget everything waiting for me down here.

---

Walking Without Fear
by Nadia 

Sometimes I think I will travel and live in my imagination forever.

I cannot go outside without fear.
I am scared of dying.
I am not scared of death,
I am just afraid of not living,
not seeing,
and not discovering.

I want to go outside without being scared,
without being afraid of losing something.

I want to find where flowers are sold.
I am 18, but I do not know where I can buy flowers,
I do not know their address,
and I do not even know which types of flowers exist here.

I want to sit in a café,
without knowing the people around me,
and drink an American iced coffee,
which I have heard of,
but never tasted.

I want to eat chocolate cake with white cream.
I want to try different tastes of ice cream,
especially pistachio and cherry.

My dad calls me cherry,
and I want to taste it.
How would it be?
Would it be sweet or bitter?

Just for once,
I want to know how shopping feels.
I want to have money to buy something.

I want to have shopping envelopes in my hands,
to feel their heaviness,
to enjoy looking at shops and shopkeepers.

I want to bargain with shopkeepers over prices,
and buy new and colorful chadors
for myself and for people I know.

I want to try and buy Dairy Milk
with different types of biscuits.
I am a biscuit lover.
Everywhere I go,
I look around just to see
if biscuits exist there or not.

I want to buy vegetables:
cucumbers, lettuce, coriander, mint, green onions, olives, pepper,
to make a salad that I have learned recently.

I want to buy meat and make mantu,
my favorite food.

I want to do the things
that I want to try.

After shopping,
I want to go to a library and sit there.
I want to see the people who come and go.
I want to see what types of books they choose,
how much they spend on them.

I want to buy as many books as I can,
to have the ability to buy books.

I will buy Tolstoy,
Fyodor Dostoevsky,
and Rumi’s books.

I want to sit there
and never leave.

I want to buy new drawing and painting papers,
canvas,
colorful paints,
and different types of brushes.

I want to buy new pencils for drawing.
I want to start.

I want to try the things I want to try. 

I want to walk freely,
smiling.

I am living in a land where I cannot choose anything, even planting a flower.
If I want to do it, I must ask permission.

I am in a land where I cannot choose my faith,
I cannot write my destiny,
I cannot go beyond my imagination.