This past week we’ve had some tension at our house. Seriously. I’ve heard way too many dramatic sighs. More than a few exasperated groans. Now I hate to point fingers, but I know who’s to blame.

Our piano teacher. 

Nah, I’m just kidding. (Well, sort of.)  

Don’t get me wrong. She is a lovely lady and a wonderful teacher. But she has no idea the strife she has caused. I can still see the grief-stricken look on Taylor’s face when she told me the news.

“She wants me and Emily to play a duet.”   

I thought it was a great idea. I could already picture it. My two girls sitting side-by-side playing their hearts out as beautiful music filled our home. But instead of music, here’s what I heard echoing throughout the house:

“You’re not even trying!”

“Me? You’re the one that keeps making mistakes!” 

“No – if you’d just play it right ….”

Back and forth they went. It was a ridiculous argument. Couldn’t they see that blaming each other was getting them nowhere? To be honest, they both needed work. Neither of them played it perfectly.

Curt looked at me from across the room. “They sound like a married couple.”

I couldn’t argue with that. 

Like all couples, Curt and I have had some disputes. And it’s always so easy to point out what the other has done wrong.  

Neither of us are doing this marriage thing perfectly. But we’re supposed to be a team. When we have a disagreement, we need to ask ourselves a difficult question. What part am I playing in this problem? 

Because blaming each other just gets us nowhere.

It’s been a little noisy around here this week, but my girls have given me a good reminder. Next time an argument erupts in my home, I’ll try to think twice before blaming my husband. 

Or even the piano teacher.