Essay: A Toddler, A Turban, and a Little Lesson In Confidence

By Raakhee Mirchandani for NBC News

It’s the same sweet scene most morning: Agan stands over the sink, fabric in hand, stretching it and then wrapping it, carefully placing the thick black cotton in perfect folds on his head.

It’s methodical, deliberate, and badass.

Next to him, our little daughter Satya is perched on a stool. She’s too tiny to reach the sink by herself, but she’s determined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her father, inspecting the process. Without saying a word — he can’t talk because he has a strange habit of holding one end of the turban in his mouth while he’s putting it on — they share in a breathtaking ritual, a daily reminder of his Sikh faith, strength, and commitment.