Copy to Learn, Try Till You Master

I’m often surprised at how almost every action of Uma can be traced back to someone around her. She copies so easily, sometimes adding small twists of her own. But it’s not always a perfect copy. For example, she often mispronounces words or struggles with the action, but she never stops copying.

And it rarely ends there. She keeps repeating whatever she tries to copy, whether it’s eating with a fork or saying “good night.” She knows when she’s getting it right and when she isn’t. I can often see the frustration on her face when she fails, but unless I know a hack or a way to teach, there isn’t much I can do. So I let her fail, again and again, until she figures it out. Most of the time, that works and she figures. She doesn’t seem bothered; she just keeps going. Meanwhile, I’m the one who gets tired watching her.

The best part is when she finally learns it. She always makes it her own. There’s a touch of customization, a personal twist that makes it better or simply hers.

We adults do the same, though less obviously. We copy from people around us, sometimes on purpose, often without realizing it. When we do it deliberately, we usually call it influence or learning.

Some things I’ve picked up deliberately include how to introduce people. I learned it from a friend who does it so well, adding background, little details, and making them the center of conversation. Over time, I’ve copied that. I’ve also learned calmness from many people, especially the art of not reacting too quickly, even when I know I’m right. I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones I remember clearly.

But adulthood changes how we copy. We become more selective 👍, but we also lose the child’s ability to fail repeatedly without giving up. That persistence, trying over and over until you get better, is something I want to relearn.

Coming back to Uma, all this puts Anju and me at the center. We have to be on our best behavior, because even small things, our body language, little physical actions, get copied. I’m always cautious, always trying to behave at my best. :)