The magic of now – have you ever thought of it? There is the memories of the past – like the picture of my Uncle Phil above. There is the promise and hope of tomorrow. And then there is the magic of now. Why is it magical? Because it is the only time we live and can make an impact on our situations, our selves, and others.

Oftentimes we struggle with the things we have to or want to do. We even make daily to do lists and try to figure out what to do first. Do we do a bunch of the easy steps to get a running start on the day? Or do we tackle the toughest jobs first so that everything else will seem easier? There is no right answer and still we get stalled on what to do first. It’s like the joke about the centipede lying in the ditch because he couldn’t remember which foot to start out with.

The clear answer I have found is to just start. Pick something to do and when you’re done pick another. The very act of doing will add momentum to your day. Inertia is defined as things in motion tend to stay in motion and things at rest tend to stay at rest. Don’t let inertia stop you from doing the things you need or want to do. Take advantage of inertia to carry you through your day.

My uncle Phil was a talented guy. He was very musical, like my mom. He played cello and that cello was passed down to me. I love the cello – the sound is mellow and moving. You might have noticed that the opening theme music of Game of Thrones features the cello. Phil was also like to travel and I have pictures that he took on trip out west just after college.

He loved his country and enlisted in the Navy in the build up to World War II and learned to fly and then taught others to fly. The picture above was taken at his home in DC sometime before he shipped out to his first and only posting in Pasco Washington. He died while teaching another airman – William Henry Stafford -to fly. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, where I have had the honor of visiting his grave. He was only 24 when he died but he lived life to the fullest – he lived in the magic of now.

I honor him today because 80 years ago on this date he got married. The same summer that my mom and dad got married. My parents gave me the middle name of Philip to remember him and I cherish it. I wish I could have known him, but I have my mom’s stories to remember and for a brief time I played his cello. I played it in 4th grade till I realized my fingers were too small to play all the chords.

He packed a lot of life into 24 short years. Don’t let indecision and fear of making mistakes keep you from living life in the magical now.