The Kitchen

I am coming to realize more and more - that the kitchen IS the center of my home.  Even with spring drawing us out of doors, the kitchen is where I seem to return to. As of late, I am finding that I spend a substantial part of my day here, so much, that I purchased a pair of awesome cushiony pair of thongs to help my legs not get so tired standing on the tile floor. The kitchen is not only a place to nourish my family with home cooked meals and snacks. It is where we school, where many projects occur and where we re-connect at meals and at the end of the day. When I am not sure what to do, I am drawn to the kitchen for inspiration. Is it time for a snack, to cook a meal or to find that list of to do’s. This is where I find my center and when I find my center, I can emerge refreshed and calmer; armed for the next adventure.

Some days I feel lost on what to do (as there is so much to do), I may gravitate to the garden for a while, play in the sun with the kids, do some laundry, tidy up here and there and looking for ways to add beauty to my home. After a while of doing this I find myself in the kitchen, having a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade a child has made. Noticing the clock, I realize it is meal time or snack time. As I prepare the next meal, I use this preparation as a meditation, noticing the vibrant colors of the veggies I am cutting, smelling the aroma of the seasonal fruits and feeling the different textures of the foods I am using. Trying to include as many senses as I can. When we are having a rushed day, sometimes I forget to do this and I can feel a difference in myself. I feel hurried, scattered and not connected; it can begin to feel like a chore. Sometimes it is a chore, another meal to make, another snack. It is those other days in the kitchen that make it all worth while. It is a healthy balance. When I feel balanced I am a better mommy, wife and friend. We are finding our balance in this world of diabetes.