Marsha Maung: I write. I love. I live

It's Saturday and my favorite day of the week!!! I try not to do too many things on this day as I take a break from the norm and just hang out with a good book (still not done with The Fault with our Stars - I am procrastinating because 'someone's about to die' - damn my own curiosity about the ending) or just a good Korean or TVB drama. It is Veg Out day. Anyway, I saw a truly beautiful picture posted by Buddhist Bootcamp and thought I would save it and share it on a beautiful Saturday! Love, Marsha p.s. - Buddhist Bootcamp Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Youtube .

Reading the news of girls (especially teenagers) getting pregnant unintentionally (as with most teens) saddens me. It hits a deep chord. Why, at such a young age, are they left without recourse and brought to a place where they don't understand the options they have, the people who will help them and what to do about their future? Having a baby changes everything in your life. It SHOULD change everything in your life; if it doesn't, you're not doing life right. It's been reported that 50 teenage girls get pregnant every day in Malaysia. 50 x 365 = 18,250 potential human beings on the planet. If they were born to these teens, what would become of these 18,250 girls and their babies and their future? Assuming each of these girls gave birth to one child each (as opposed to twins or triplets), that would make 36,500 people with dubious futures. And let's assume out of the 18,250 'men', 40% of the men took responsibility for their actions, that's an add...

Sitting together in circle within a dimly lit room I facilitated a mindfulness group for teens. A light scent of lavender lingers in the air providing aromatherapy to promote relaxation. There is a quiet calmness in the room as many teens in this group have shared they have never practiced mindfulness before. The group they are sitting in isn't the typical group therapy as its purpose calls upon them to practice deep breathing while acknowledging any thoughts they have and letting them go in order to remain being centered and in the moment. Being centered and calm in the middle of a stressful is a challenge that a lot of adolescents experience on a day to day basis. Many teens look for ways to cope with heavy feelings that come up for them in life. Unfortunately many teens find themselves using unhealthy habits that their peers use such as smoking, drinking, and in some instances self-harming by cutting or burning themselves to numb that overwhelming feeling that sits in the pi...

Some days, you sigh at the number of cups in the sink, no matter how many times you think you've cleared them, they appear and appear seemingly out of nowhere. The moment you think you've done all the laundry there is to be done, there's more. There are crumbs under the table after you've vacuumed the floor as thoroughly as you could. There's clutter where you previously cleaned out, there's dust on the fan, dinner to think about. The cycle is endless. We can't help but complain about it, can we? I don't do it online much or to friends because I prefer to look at things on the bright side (on most days and when I catch myself frowning at dirty carpets and tables). Think about it, maybe you've complained about it in your head instead? Anyway, whoever came out with this list is brilliant and it can serve as a good reminder to all of us who are caught in the daily conundrum and complaining about things. Have a splendid and productive Monday, ...