The Year of Margo
That Little Voice
Back in December 1981 I proclaimed that the new year, 1982, would be The Year of Margo.
I turned 40 in March 1982, and it seemed like a fun thing to claim a year for myself. So, I did.
What exactly did that mean? I didn’t know. I had no manifesto. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t want to claim new territory. I simply wanted to say this was a year I would live, laugh, revel, feel, express, and live fully.
The first thing I did was get note pads printed on bright yellow paper that read “1982 – The Year of Margo,” and kept them on my desk at work, around the telephones at home, and wrote messages to people on the colorful pages.
During that year, I would look at those pads and smile with absolute joy, just knowing ‘this is MY year.”
Did I accomplish anything outstanding during those 12 months? No.
Did I make life changing decisions while I marched through that year? No.
Do I even recall anything unusual I caused to happen that year? No.
But I remember feeling freedom in my soul. I believe I smiled more. I laughed more.And I recall finding a voice within myself that expressed who I was and wanted to be.
It created new perspectives as I basked in knowing this was my year. Even today as I think of how I reacted to grasping that year I’m grinning. My mood is lighter, my heart beats with more tenderness, I seem to be floating, not taking life so seriously.
I wish I could describe what transpired within me by simply writing ‘the Year of Margo’.
I do know people, when getting aYear of Margo note, would say something about it, perhaps questioning what it meant, what I planned to do, why I even thought about it, and some said it made them smile also.
Others weren’t as taken with the idea, saying, “You can’t have a year,” “Are you crazy?”, “That seems like a selfish thing to do/say/claim”.
I would smile and suggest they take their own year. So, if you are wondering about the power of grabbing the next 365 days, my suggestion is: Do It.
Proclaim 2025 as yours. You’ll love having your own year. It’s like a bird flying out of its cage to explore new sites, new territory, new sounds, new feelings, and experiencing childlike freedom.
Enjoy the flight.