Titan Nawal Elghourab

My name is Nawal, but I used to call myself Titan.

If there was ever a moment when I thought the stars would align for me and my one wish would come true, it was a moment not taken for granted. I would always ask for the same thing: to be a superhero.

I admit that sometimes it feels ridiculous and embarrassing that I harbor onto these childlike notions, but my imagination has always been a big part of my life. It was the only way I could communicate what I really wanted to do, and that was save the world. Coming from a very conservative family, it was always black and white with no grey area, which meant my thoughts were not welcomed. Certain questions I had were deemed inappropriate by both my family and the religious institutions I would frequently visit. It was as if a wandering mind meant a wandering interest, and a wandering interest was a threat to my faith.

Yet still I imagined. I found myself planning out my life as a superhero. When I flew on a plane for the first time, I planned out how I would use my telekinetic powers to prevent fatal plane crashes. When my brother had his hip surgery and was in great discomfort, I thought about how I would use my healing powers to take away his pain and discomfort. When I heard a...