nostalgic moments: reading magazines and atoosa rubenstein

Do you remember the feeling of flipping through a magazine? Of pouring over glossy page after glossy page? Reading magazines is such a nostalgic experience for me. When I was younger, there was no greater delight than my parents coming home from buying groceries....because I knew there would be at least one magazine tucked away for me. Sometimes, it was Seventeen. Other times, it was YM. It might have been Teen, Teen People, Bop, Tiger Beat, Popstar or Teen Vogue. A lot of times, it depended who was on the cover, but it was always a thrill to be presented with that magazine. It was something that was all my own. (Well, sometimes it was also my sister's. But usually, the magazine ended up in my possession.) I remember that I would eagerly help to put away groceries and then spend the next several hours reading every single word and looking at every single image in that oh-so-special magazine. It made me feel so special. 

Honestly? I miss that experience. I miss the thrill of a brand new magazine. I miss reading the horoscopes and being certain that they were 100% accurate. I miss all of my favourite actors, actresses and pop stars gracing the covers. I miss the advice, the funny stories, and the inspiration. But mostly, I miss the innocence of my youth. Of knowing that grocery shopping days meant that I would have the opportunity to get lost in a magazine for a little while. Those magazines were always sort of a dream world...a fantasy. Everyone was beautiful and every problem had a solution. Those pages were overloaded with hope and happiness. They were a safe place for me. Now, I look back with such fondness and such nostalgia. I miss reading magazines the way that I used to. Sure, every now and again, I read a fashion magazine or something celebrity-based. But it's not the same as it used to be. I learned so much from those glossy pages of my youth. They were a part of me.

What brought on this recent wave of nostalgia? Of reminiscing? Atoosa Rubenstein. I've been a fan of Atoosa for a very long time. She was the editor of both Seventeen and CosmoGIRL! While all of the magazines had those little "Letters from the Editor" near the front....Atoosa's was the only one I looked forward to. The only one that I read multiple times. There was just something about Atoosa. I was in awe of her. She was successful, talented, creative, and beautiful. She inspired me and made me want to write for a magazine one day. (Spoiler alert: that dream has not happened yet. But who knows what the future might hold? I will never give up hope!) More recently, Atoosa began Atoosa Unedited, where she gets candid and shares stories about her life and career. It has been so powerful to learn more about this incredible woman. Her honesty and sincerity are undeniable. I would highly encourage anyone interested to check out her work. It is remarkable. 

So, thanks to Atoosa, I am remembering the way things used to be. I am caught up in my memories in the best possible way. While it is important to be in the moment and prepare for the future...there is a unique beauty in being able to look back at the past with a smile. Today, I am smiling and remembering how important those glossy pages used to be. 

What makes you nostalgic? Did you used to read any special magazines?