Do you remember those WWJD bracelets that church youth groups passed out during the late 80s and 90s? Their intentions were to serve as an ever-present prompt for the young people to use to self-exam during questionable or difficult situations.

No disrespect intended, but I find myself asking my own WWJD question, “What would Julia do?” My mom, Julia, is a lot on my mind these days, especially since my oldest sister is beautifully chronicling our mom’s life from infancy onward via scrapbook and sharing choice anecdotal gems with us sisters along the way. I sure could use some Julia wisdom now as our crazy world is transitioning into so-called normalcy and I’m being swept along in a current of murky waters. I desperately need clarity!

A visual of my mom getting ready each morning for whatever lay ahead is firmly planted in my mind. I see her perched at her “mid-century-modern” key-hole dressing table unpinning her gorgeous red hair and coiffing it into her signature waves at the front and a stylish twist at the back. Next, she would don her only makeup, lipstick, return it to its place (“a place for everything, and everything in its place”), close the left-hand drawer, snap her purse shut, scoot her stool back, stand up straight peering into the mirror while slinging her purse over her braced shoulders, tuck her handbag firmly under her arm, affirmatively nod her head at her reflection, ready to tackle whatever responsibilities, expected or not, under her care for the day.

Am I currently doing what Julia would do during this transition time between staying at home and so-called normalcy? Am I confident that I’m as prepared as I can be to step into the unknown? Am I standing up straight with my essentials tucked firmly under my arm, mindfully assessing my own readiness?

Who prompts you into vigilant preparedness?