Do As I Do

I love to read!  However, my best learning happens outside of the books.  When I watch people, or interact with people I learn what to do or not to do.  My choice in reading material is important because it leads me in the right direction but to learn something new, to put it into action I have to see it or hear it.  I have to be inspired by my surroundings. 

One reason we home school is because I don't believe sitting in a classroom with 20 other kids is necessarily the primary way to go.  Yes, some kids can thrive on it, however,  kids get lost in a crowd, they zone out if not interested, may be embarrassed to show interest in something others would find dumb.  I love going on "field trips."  Every vacation we have ever had has been a learning adventure vs. time off of school.  Things we have witnessed/experienced on our trips:
civil war battlefields
maple sugar farms
country doctor home/office
how a farm is run
hiking/nature trails/moutains
Indian reservations
army museum
Presidential Homesteads
Guitar factory-how it is made from beginning to end


So what does this have to do with the topic "do as I do?" Plenty.  We are each a piece of this big puzzle.  Reading about something is great, but experiencing it together is better.  Usually real life throws a curve ball from a book.  A doctor cannot learn medicine from a book alone, he must have patients.  We can write our budget down on paper but somehow things work out differently at the end of the month due to unexpected reality.  Real life is just different-we have the people factor involved.

I have a friend who is amazingly giving, she wishes her kids would have more interest in Torah.  Unfortunately she hounds them about it.  I told her to stop talking to them about what she wishes they would do and just let them watch her.  I think back to my childhood and how I observed my parents and now do a lot of what they did (even though I said I never would-lol)

Why are we told to study Torah AND do mitzvot?  Studying alone is not enough.  We must be there to show each other the ropes, to help each other out.  We are all connected.  Raising kids teaches us so much.  They will follow what we do way before adhering to a lecture from us.  People watch us more than we know. 
I was a bank teller years ago and a lady brought in a bottle of perfume for me.   I was stunned.  She said I always took good care of her and smiled and she wanted to show her appreciation.  I had no idea I was being looked at in such a way, she was not even a customer I knew well like some other regulars. 

We are to be a light to the nations, it starts with inspiration from Torah being transformed into good deeds-our household will notice and then we can spread it to the rest of the world.  Books and studying are wonderful but it can't stop there.

Shabbat Shalom!