Leaking Bucket.

* You wake up early morning trying to do your pooja/prayers/yoga but your mind is elsewhere and before you know it, you're done with it, without being mindful of it.

(A leaking bucket).

* You're very kind to outsiders/people in general and speak with them gently but with your own family you're always harsh/rude.

(A leaking bucket).

* You honour and treat your guests well but when they leave, you gossip about them and talk about their flaws.

(A leaking bucket).

* You try to read as much religious books, listen to satsang/keertan, participate in social services/sewa but you swear, insult, curse daily.

(A leaking bucket).

* You help others but you're doing it to gain something in return from them and not doing those acts of kindness selflessly.

(A leaking bucket).

* You frequently advise/preach others but practise none yourself.

(A leaking bucket).

* You slander other devout persons out of hatred/spite when your views do not meet one another.

(A leaking bucket).

* You look down on others and feel more superior than them, judging their level of knowledge, based on external experiences.

(A leaking bucket).

We struggle to fill our "lives" (the bucket) with the "earnings" of religion and knowledge (the water), hoping it will be retained inside but it is leaked by the many flaws (the hoes) that we commit daily.

An excellent reminder for all of us, to try and patch these holes up so we may progress further on this beautiful path of life.

Tailpiece.

Had reached Rema's house at Thrippunithura by a quarter past 1. The driver of the bus was good and mind you, he'd started from Thiruvananthapuram at a half past 7. Muthuraj's auto rickshaw came handy and he was a genuine guy.

By the time I had hit the sack, it was a half past 2.

Got up at a half past 6, the chores and after breakfast, we'd set off for Guruvayur by around 10 o'clock. Padmakumar had guided us out onto the main road. Had lunch at our favourite haunt, the Gokulam Sabari and it was nice to see those boys, who served us food.

Immediately on parking the Chevy at the porch, Kittu had come by and meowed. Lekha gave him his favourite food of bread and fish. He'd wiped his vessel clean and went away as quickly as he'd come.

Change of bed linen and washing machinex, our serials on television and my evening exercises prior to bath.