Violin Lessons

I sat through violin lessons last night. As each girl played, I tried to gather a tally in my head for how many lessons I have sat through. I couldn't wrap my head around an exact number, I just know that I have been listening to little girls play the violin for more than 6 years.

I started to wonder last night, what exactly I've learned through all these lessons. What, if anything, has this violin trek taught me? So far, this is what I've got:

• I have now worked with 3 girls to master Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I have listened to it for so long, I somehow think I deserve a medal. A twinkling star medal.
• I pay money, good money, to wage battle with certain children to practice. When you take a step back and look at it, I'm giving someone else a tuition check so that I can go home and listen to moaning, wailing and a serious amount of gnashing teeth. Makes total sense.
• In 20 years, aren't my girls going to turn to their own children and say, "I wish I would have practiced more."? Isn't that what we all do? My mom told me that I would be sad when I grew up that I didn't practice the piano more. And you know what? She was right. So, if that's true, aren't my kids going to grow up and say the same thing? Why do I torture myself and everyone around us with daily practice? Maybe because I simply want the satisfaction in 20 years of saying, "I told you so."
• Every now and then, there is a glimmer of a moment, that one of my girls will play and I am mesmerized. In that moment, the strings will ring magic. Those little bits of time seem to erase all the other unwanted whining and fighting.
  

Last night I realized that my girls always sound better when the teacher plays right along with them. When they can't seem to catch the right rhythm or play the notes correctly, the teacher picks up his violin to guide them as he plays. Their music sounds sweeter when combined with his.

Life just may be one big violin lesson. We complain, we argue and we practice. Over and over and over again. But when we can't seem to find our rhythm or we stumble and lose our way, our Teacher joins our side. And when we listen to Him, and heed His words, our music will bring life to our soul.

Lesson learned.