The "This Magazine Has Been Around For 100 Years!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading one of the last stories in my 116 page Anniversary Issue Reader's Digest.  The magazine has been one of my favorites ever since my wife bought me a subscription to it years ago.  

One of my favorite things about the magazine is the size of it.  It measures 5 1/8" in width and 7 1/4" in height; every issue!  Easy to hold in my hand, both at home and in an airplane when traveling.  At times there may be an extra signature or so, but it usually sticks to somewhere close to 120 pages, each measuring the same size for as long as I can remember.  The very first issue was on February of 1922.  The issue I am holding in my hands takes a look at the signifiant, memorable, present articles and authors from 100 years of Reader's Digest magazines.  The current Chief Content Officer, Jason Buhrmester tells about some of the incredible stories from famous writers, politicians, everyday heroes and average Americans that have filled the pages of Reader's Digest for a century.  The issue also talks about humor, health and how to feel hopeful about the next century.  He goes on to thank me for being a part of the first 100 years of Reader's Digest and that he looks forward to hearing and sharing my stories for years to come.  Well, thank you very much Mr. Buhrmester.  This particular issue has not only the usual stories in it, but some of the all-time favorite stories, jokes and reader's tales from the past 100 years.  And...I have read everyone of them since my magazine arrived a few days ago.  One of the stories talks about "Our Two Cents on Cryptocurrency" which would never have been heard of 100 years ago.  Another story tells of "The Hottest Kitchen Tip...Freezing."  And...then came a couple of pages of jokes and cartoons.  "News From The World Of Medicine" followed before the Cover Story began telling about Reader's Digest 100 YEARS.  Began by telling that "before there was a magazine, there were stacks of three-by-five-inch slips of paper onto which Reader's Digest founder DeWitt Wallace would jot notes and quotes from everything he read.  After he returned from serving in WWI he decided to share his condensed versions of articles.  He and his wife Lila worked together on the first issue of Reader's Digest which was published in February of 1922.  Today their mission of sharing amazing stories with millions of readers continues.  What followed was a look at the significant, memorable, prescient articles and authors from 100 years of Reader's Digest. I remembered a few of them, but luckily I got to read some of the stories that were in the magazine before I could read and perhaps even born.  The fist story was titled "How to Keep Young Mentally and was written by Mary B. Mullett in February of 1922.  It told of Alexander Graham Bell and his belief in lifelong learning.  One story from October of 1957 that I also didn't remember, told of "The Girl Who Was Anne Frank."  I do remember reading that Anne's father didn't want it published, but her father was convinced by Anne's friends that she had wanted to publish a book so he eventually agreed.  In 1967 was a story titled "I Am Joe's Heart" which was published in April of 1967.  It told about a 12 ounce, red-brown, unimpressive shaped dedicated slave of a guy named Joe.  Story also told of other parts of his body as well as his wife's body.  Story was the first article in the magazine's health series that continued until 1990.  Other stories were titled "Chappaquiddick: The Still Unanswered Questions" from 1980 and another story titled "Maya's Journey Home" written in 1982 that was written by Maya Angelou.  A dozen or more stories followed with the final one being "Amy's Choice" written by Rena LeBlanc in September of 2000.  Story tells about a 19-year-old who fights for and wins custody of her four younger siblings in order to keep the family together and away from her drug-addicted mother who was in prison.  There was also a section titled "Quotable Quotes" with the oldest being from August of 1949 and read..."A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me."  This was written by Frederick Douglass in August of 1940.  A dozen short stories followed that were titled "Reader's Digest Saved My Life!" and came from grateful readers who recounted how the magazine got them diagnoses, treatment, and most importantly, their lives back.  A few stories from Servicemen as well as the traditional "Humor in Uniform" section covered almost a dozen pages.  A current story titled "The Fight To Save Texas's Spectacular Coral Reefs" and another gut-wrenching story titled "Swept Away" took the readers to the end of the magazine.  Only thing left over was the section titled "Word Power" in which a page shows a photograph that reader's were supposed to title from the previous issue in hopes of having their name placed next to it as having the best title for the picture.  The very last page, just before the rear cover page of the 100th issue of  The Reader's Digest, featured a photograph of "Rosie" with a caption that read..."A Trusted Friend In A Complicated World."  

And that, my friends was page 116 of the "100th ANNIVERSARY READER'S DIGEST."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.