A Hopeful Rhythm — Why I Wrote This Book and Why It Matters

Ever since I first learned how to write, I’ve used words to turn my thoughts into something real — something I could hold. As a kid, my imagination never rested. I didn’t just daydream; I built entire worlds in my head. Writing was the only way I could bring those worlds to life.

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In middle school, I created a comic book series called Superdog. I sold copies to my friends for $1, not because I cared about the money, but because I wanted to feel like my stories mattered. I wanted to believe that what I made had value. My friends would tell me how much they loved the characters, the drawings, the jokes, and that meant everything to me.

Back then, I didn’t realize I was using writing as a form of healing. It became a silent way to express everything I didn’t yet know how to say out loud. Emotions too big for conversations, dreams too wild for reality. My old school notebooks were filled with made-up lives, prep guides for classmates, and even original songs I used to sing to myself when no one was around.

To be honest, I’ve never loved reading, but I’ve always loved writing. I would rather write a shelf full of books than finish reading one. And for years, I tried. I attempted to publish six different books, but none ever made it to the finish line.

Then I turned 18.

That’s when something changed. I started writing down fragments of my childhood. My earliest memories. The faces I’d almost forgotten. The moments that shaped me. At first, I didn’t think much of it. But the more I wrote, the more I realized I was building something different. This time, I wasn’t creating fictional characters. I was writing about myself. This time, it wasn’t just a story. It was my life.

Every page of A Hopeful Rhythm carries pieces of who I am. The struggles I’ve lived through. The people I’ve lost. The dreams I refused to let go of. This book became a mirror, reminding me of where I come from, why I fight so hard, and what I never want to forget.

It’s not just about memories. It’s about purpose. It’s about what keeps me grounded, what pushes me to become a doctor, and what reminds me every day that I’m capable of rewriting my future.

In this book, I speak, sometimes gently and sometimes boldly, about the broken systems that affect people like me. Healthcare gaps. Educational inequality. The pain of being overlooked. But I also shine a light on the beauty of culture, the strength of tradition, and the power of community. I pay tribute to my roots, to my family, and to Egypt, the land that raised me.

This is the first book I’ve ever published, and I followed it through not because I thought it would be perfect, but because it was real. This time, I didn’t stop. I owed it to that little boy with a big imagination. And I owed it to the people who might find pieces of themselves in these pages.

Thank you for reading my story.

— Abdelrahman Abdelrazek