Copy Cats

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two men who had very intriguing ideas.  I actually came across this quote while reading on the the general conference talks from early this year.  I wanted to put my thoughts today about just what this quote ( I think) is trying to say.  Iggy from my room today made me realize just how true this is.  Lucrez was doing gymnastics on a mattress today when Iggy and Minga copied just what he was doing.  As I sat there watching there silly antics I thought about all the other days I have observed similar actions.  Children really do copy exactly what you do no matter what you say to dissuade them.  So for today's journal I wanted to organize my ideas into 3 sections.

First, I have come to realize that children are creatures that follow your examples.  From taking Human Development, I have learned about a theory that states child development comes from small children following the examples from the elders in the society.  By observing others actions children are able to mimic the correct way to live in society.  They learn about all the different cultural norms by following the actions of others.  I happen to believe this theory to be very true after my own observations from the children I work with.  For instance, a little while back I had a bad cold I was recovering from but I was still a little sniffley.  I was with Little Blue Diva at the time and she was loving baby wipes.  But the funny part was that she using it to wipe her nose.  I thought it odd since I didn't see anything but I then noticed she was sniffling.  She sniffled every time I did!  It was so cute to see her mimic everything I was doing.  Children even mimic each other.  Such as whatever Lucrez does Minga and Iggy will follow right along.  If one turns a toy into a razor or a gun, so do the others.  It is wonderful to see children learn by observation (obviously the creative and good things), but this also led me to my next thought.

Until I came and worked here I never realized how much children really do observe me!  And if children are always watching me everyone else must be too.  Meaning...I always need to be aware of my actions.  Like Ralph Waldo Emerson basically said actions speak louder than words.  If one thing I feel I have already learned from being out here it is that I really need to start setting the best example I can.  I can say I believe one way but unless I actually live it my words mean nothing.  How can I tell someone to do one thing if I am doing another?  Obviously, I need to set an example for all those around me.  Not so much that I can try to make them be like me, but more that I can really live what I believe.  I do my best now but coming here has made me so much more aware of it.

This leads me to my last thought.  I know I need to work as hard as I can do achieve my goals.  It is easy for someone to say " I want to be a doctor" or "I want to be more patient" or "I want to travel the world" or "I want to get out of debt" or "I want to be a better person".  I have learned it is easy to say those things but if I want to be anything in this life I have to live it!  Romania has allowed me to take one more step towards my future career and life goals.  I can say certain things but nothing in life is going to happen unless I take control and show it through what I do.  I want to help others and make a difference in the world we live in so hopefully I can really take what I talk about and do it! 

I give my love to all of my family and friends.

Mare vis everybody,

Dani