As a mother with bipolar disorder, it is important for me to keep to routines in taking care of my daughter, cleaning our home, and maintaining my mental health. Each day brings with it a rhythm, and I have learned how to stay calm, organized, and focused.
The hard work needed to cook, clean, and maintain the kitchen is not a punishment from God but a task to fulfill that improves my soul and body from becoming lazy. When I am washing the dishes, it is an opportunity for me to pray and thank the Lord for my blessings. The kitchen has become a great place to pray, and there are always dishes to do.
I will continue to battle distraction, as that is one of the main symptoms of bipolar disorder. Disorganization is another symptom that can interfere with my life. Working with determination, I do my best to have a clean house, as it is also good for my mental health. To stay organized, I use checklists and alerts on my cell phone. The alarms chime at specific times to remind me of things I need to do. I have certain days for cleaning certain rooms and for outdoor maintenance as well. It is a flexible schedule, and it is so helpful for me to follow.
I spend the most time in the kitchen, and it is my favourite room in our home. Since renovating our house, my husband and I transformed the kitchen. It is a beautiful mix of modern and vintage. Countertops lend light and warmth to the creamy kitchen cabinets. The Spanish hanging lights over the island add an old-world appeal, along with the antique terracotta tiles for our backsplash. Our French country home feels cozier and more stylish than I could have ever imagined.
But more than the appliances, furniture, and decor, what makes the kitchen beautiful is the life lived in the room that makes it special. We host family members and friends with appetizers, food, and sparkling drinks. We celebrate special occasions and casual dinners. My husband and I cook, converse, and enjoy our daughter’s antics. I stand at the kitchen sink and pray as I do the dishes, watching the sky change and birds flying. My daughter and I dance around the island, giggling and singing.
It is where I learn and try out new recipes to feed my family. It is a place of love that is open to all who come to our home. It is where I make phone calls to chat with my family and friends. It is where my daughter started to eat solid food and a place for her to crawl around as I do my work.
It is where my husband and I make our plans for the week and for our future. It is a place to budget and be realistic about our finances. It is a meeting place, a refreshing room, and a spirit-filled space.
In the quiet of the morning, I write journal reflections (not as often as I would like) and read the Scriptures for the daily Mass.
Keeping it clean is a challenge every day, as there seem to be dishes and counters to wash in a cycle: eat, clean, repeat. It is a sanctifying vocation to tidy, disinfect, and clean the kitchen, not only for the family and guests who enter into the welcoming space, but for my mental health as well.
“Even if no one sees me resetting the kitchen over and over again today, let it be done for the glory of God. Even if no one sees me washing piles upon piles of clothes, let it be done for the glory of God. Even if no one sees me set aside my own needs to meet theirs, let it be done for the glory of God.” — Katie Hartman
My mind and body will tire, but my heart and soul will strengthen with the help of the Holy Spirit. I need to trust in the Lord’s grace to help me be a woman of strong faith and virtue. With the work I do to keep bipolar disorder from upsetting the systems in place, I will be a calm, organized, and focused wife and mother. And I will enjoy a sparkling clean kitchen — which is usually in the evening in this current season.
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