Articles written by Don MacIver

What is Helium

About me - Don MacIver

A published author of poetry, I reside with my loving wife Andrea on Vancouver Island off the west cost of British Columbia, Canada in the Pacific northwest.

Inspired by Andrea, my family, friends and fellow writers around the globe, and the beautiful natural

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Relationships & Family > Marriage & Divorce (Other) Has the sacred character of marriage been lost?: 1 of 18

Marital unification continues to be the choice of a large segment of coupled partners to a relationship today. Although there may be a growing segment of the population opting for a more "common law" type living arrangement there remains a substantial number of couples today who seal that loving union with a traditional and f... More..
Arts & Humanities > Thoughts on Writing Overcoming the intimidation factor in becoming a writer: 2 of 19

Gaining notoriety and success in any endeavor, whether it be business, entertainment or any genre of writing, but to name just a few, the very first hurdle to leap over, the first challenge to take an aspiring, or even experienced writer, out of the starting gate is to release that sense of intimidation that goes with publish... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: How I coped with my parent's Alzheimer's disease: 1 of 9

As one's parents age inevitably thoughts arise from time to time about what the future holds. Age brings with it many symptoms or ailments that are deemed typical for any given age group. For some there is the onset of illness or disease that is much more debilitating resulting in a rapid and eventually fatal decline.Most peo... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms The problems faced in finding good leaders: 2 of 14

From the early beginnings of recorded history there has always been a struggle by those who have sought to attain a leadership role while others have been content seeking a suitable candidate to offer that leadership.Leadership holds varied meanings, representations, levels of authority, and in large degree is supported or de... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Giving up your seat on the bus to someone who needs it more: 4 of 24

What better feeling is there than the selfless act of assisting someone less fortunate or able than yourself?There seems to be an increasing incidence of selfish attitudes plaguing our public transit systems of today. As ridership grows in numbers steadily, given the high costs of personal motor vehicle operation and also the... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Who am I? Exploring what defines a person: 5 of 29
Most people spend a great deal of time, some in fact most of their lives, reflecting on how their own person is or has been defined. For some this subject becomes an obsession that preoccupies much of their waking hours.Unless we understand our own character, our personal attributes as we appear to others, and to ourselves, a... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Family Values How the Internet has changed home life: 8 of 33
There is much debate and analysis today surrounding the impact that the onset of advanced technological information and communications systems and equipment has had on the family unit.Over the past several decades advances in the technology of home entertainment has been a particular focus with respect to the social fabric of... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) Generational poverty and ways to recover: 1 of 4

Poverty today is mirrored by society's apparent failure to recognize the causal issues and lack of focus on constructive and progressive approaches to remedy the increasing incidence of low income individuals and families.Those who live this ferris wheel type existence become trapped not only in the revolving door syndrome of... More..
Arts & Humanities > Poets & Poetry Does the best poetry come from the heart or from the mind?: 36 of 115

Speaking from a published writer's perspective there are realistically two dimensions to a poem's origins. A poem's creation is facilitated by the operative senses of the mind. One must utilize one's intuition, insight and experience of observation and reaction to the subject matter as correlated by the mind, thus a written t... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Lifestyles Is it better to live in the city or the country?: 47 of 115

Where one chooses to live may, at least initially, be dictated in whole or part by economics, climate, the size of the city under consideration, whether or not close proximity to the workplace is a critical factor, commuting considerations and perhaps many more pieces of the puzzle to factor into the decision process for wher... More..