Articles written by Sheila-Ann Bender

What is Helium

About me - Sheila-Ann Bender

I'm a published freelance writer (part-time) who would love to be able to write full-time! I'm currently working on my first fiction novel, a lifelong dream of mine. I love writing for Helium! It challenges me to write outside the box-about things I wouldn't

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Relationships & Family > Friendship Advice How to test if a friendship is real?: 1 of 31
Just before my grandfather died, he told me, "If you just have one real friend when you die, you've had a great life." I've never forgotten that, even though I thought that was a sad account of a life at the time. Now I understand how much meaning and wisdom there really was behind those words. So, just how do we test the rea... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Why you should plan your own funeral: 3 of 64
My mom died much sooner than she expected to-than any of us expected her to. At the time of her death, she'd barely decided "where" she wanted to be buried, much less how she wanted her funeral to go. It was hard on me to make all those decisions, especially as grief-stricken and shocked as I was. Afterward, when I'd had the ... More..
Relationships & Family > Break-Ups & Exes How to break the ice with your ex: 1 of 20
For most of us who have an ex, breaking the ice with our ex means bringing an ice sculpture down on their head! I've always been really awestruck over ex couples that can manage to be the best of friends afterward-who actually enjoy sitting down for dinner together and totally support each other when it comes to the disciplin... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: What "being in love" means to me: 3 of 58
Commitment and unconditional love. That's what "being in love" means to me. It means that you are committed to someone through the long-haul, no matter what. It means that you love them unconditionally, even if they lose every dime they have or a breast to cancer-you still love them with every ounce of your being. Being in lo... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Special Occasion Gifts Great birthday gifts for your girlfriend: 1 of 18
We are definitely the easiest gender to shop for, and I just cannot understand why guys get so stressed out about finding us that perfect birthday gift! As long as you remember to shop from your heart, put some loving thought into it, and rule out anything that has an electrical cord attached to it, you'll do just fine. JEWEL... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Political Values Parents: Would you send your child off to war?: 3 of 50
No parent 'wants' to send their child off to war. It's every parents worst nightmare. The last time I checked, however, a male or female had to be eighteen to enlist. Once a child reaches the legal age limit, there aren't many parents who can stop them from pursuing their ambitions.I was the mother of a soldier. Thankfully, h... More..
Relationships & Family > Dealing with Problem People Communicating with negative people and the effect it has on your happiness: 2 of 31
Energy vampires. Human black holes which come out of nowhere and just suck the life right out of you. That's what a number of self-help gurus have named negative people. They're also known as sob sisters, blamers, drama queens, and my personal favorite: fixer-uppers (they require endless help). They seem to have an endless ca... More..
Entertainment > TV Show Reviews TV shows that brought families together: 1 of 15
The sixties were the decade that television programming really began to make a deep impact on the American family. In the fifties, there were still a lot of homes without televisionsbut by the sixties, there were few homes without a black and white set. Families laughed together over the comedic humor of 'The Honeymooner... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) 4th of July cookout: Dos and don'ts: 3 of 40
When I hear the words "4th of July", the first picture that pops in my mind is an all-American man wearing a "kiss the cook" apron while he flips burgers and hot dogs on an outdoor grill. Cookouts are to the 4th of July what Christmas trees are to Christmas. Something's definitely missing without them, and great care and plan... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Birth stories: 17 of 220
"I was just lying there, and all of a sudden she just popped out!" My cousin, Susan, gleefully recounted the birth experience of her first daughter to me. I was now expecting my first child, and she was going on and on about how the natural route was the best and only way-and what a glorious experience breast-feeding was. "Yo... More..