And the beginning that was inside a book

Nada loved reading. Any book with the words “love,” “change,” or “self-confidence” written on it, she would run after it. From romantic novels to self-help books, she felt like reading took her to other worlds, escaping the hustle and bustle of life and the question she always dodged: “Who am I?”

But the strange thing? Amid all these books, Nada never sat down to read herself.

She would get moved, excited, and write motivational quotes in her notebook. But when she looked at her life, her clothes, her daily choices, she felt like she was walking with the people, not herself.

Everything around her was fast-paced. Trends turned into trends, outfits disappeared and changed, and everyone was running after her. And her? Standing still… waiting for something to make her understand, to comfort her, to tell her, “You’re not wrong.”

One day, she went to the library looking for a new novel. She flipped through the books until a simple cover caught her eye. It depicted a veiled girl walking down the street with her head held high. The novel wasn’t famous, but its first page was a revelation.

One sentence stood out to her:
“Coverage is not the end… Coverage is the beginning.”

Nada felt that the book wasn’t about the heroine… it was about her.

From that day on, she began to wonder:
“How do I dress?”
“Am I really comfortable?”
“Does the clothing I choose express who I am? Or does it express pressure, fear, or the fact that people are used to it this way?”

She began to view Islamic dress not as “traditional attire,” but as a style. As an identity. She began searching for brands that offered loose, practical clothing that wasn’t stuffy or boring.

While browsing Instagram, she came across the page “Aswa.”
It was the first time she saw truly Islamic clothing that had a youthful look, chic fabric, calm colors, and designs that reflected “Nada.”

She asked for a simple set:
A skirt with soft pleats, wide-sleeved bottoms, and a warm sand color.
As soon as she put it on, she stood in front of the mirror and was silent for a moment…
Then she said in a low voice, but one that resonated with her inner self:
“I am Nada… and I chose this.”

What happened wasn’t a change in her appearance… it was the beginning of reconciliation. The beginning of true self-love.
It didn’t start with her clothes…
It started when she decided to read herself, just as she used to read books.

Now?
Nada is writing too. But not about the heroines of novels…
about herself. About the girl who found in “Oswa” a new, calm, real beginning, one that resembles her.