A Glimpse of Eternity
There was once a village named Benlor situated in the midst of enchanting woods and serene streams. This tiny abode was inhabited by most heartwarming folks who lived their simple lives in harmony with nature. Break of dawn welcomed heartening melodies of birds that danced to the rhythm of soft, morning breeze. During evenings, the sun would retreat by painting the sky in hues of fiery orange and dusky purple, while the village folks gathered around bonfires, exchanging stories of their day.
Among the residents of Benlor lived an old man, Eli. His silvery hair mirrored the wisdom he held, his cataract-ridden eyes had observed several sunrises and sunsets, and his fragile body had endured the harshest winters and warmest summers. His age had instilled in him a deep understanding of time, life, and mortality.
One day, while walking along the emerald green farms of Benlor, Eli stumbled upon an ancient tree. This wasn’t an unusual sight, but something about the tree captivated his attention. It was older than the others, its gnarled roots intertwined in intricate patterns, its sturdy trunk held countless marks of age, and it was crowned with vast foliage. The villagers had named it the Banyan of Eternity due to its seemingly infinite presence.
Eli found himself inexplicably drawn towards it. He’d spend hours watching it sway gently as the breeze played with its leaves, its centuries-old existence had stories written in every wrinkle. Dreamy afternoons turned into tranquil nights beneath the Banyan of Eternity, but what Eli adored most, were the long discussions he found himself engaged in with the ancient tree. The tree, being a silent listener, never responded yet Eli felt a profound connection with it. His soliloquies echoed through the surrounding wilderness, offering peculiar tranquillity.
During one sultry afternoon, while Eli was resting under the banyan tree, a mysterious apparition floated towards him. What they called the Banyan of Eternity was, in fact, a home to an ancient spirit named Bael. It was none other than Bael who had been silently listening to Eli's meandering thoughts and existential musings. Intrigued and moved by Eli’s insights, Bael decided to grant him a glimpse of eternity.
As Eli touched the tree, time seemed to stand still. He saw moments centuries apart flash before him. He saw wars being fought and peace treaties being signed, civilizations rising and falling, love blooming amidst the despair, the evolution and de-evolution of humans, the wrath of nature, and the balance restored over and over again.
With each shifting moment, Eli felt a whirlwind of emotions. Life was ephemeral yet immortal, moments were fleeting yet eternal. The cycle of birth and death, creation and destruction, love and hatred, joy and sorrow was like an infinite thread weaving the tapestry of eternity. His own existence didn’t seem limited anymore. His mortality was just a speck on the canvas of infinity, yet each speck contributed to the masterpiece.
When the visions finally ceased, Eli, with shivering hands, touched his own heart. His understanding of life, death, time, and existence had deepened. He no longer saw the world with the eyes of a mortal man, but with the wisdom of the ancient tree— the Banyan of Eternity. With a heart overwhelmed with unexplainable joy and sorrow, gratitude and humility, he looked around. The village of Benlor was the same, yet everything had changed. Because he had changed.
Years passed before Eli, the wise man of Benlor, breathed his last under the shade of the tree. Yet, he died a satisfied man, with the knowledge that his existence was part of an infinite cycle. And the Banyan of Eternity stood there, witnessing another cycle, ready for the next story, etching another moment onto the canvas of infinity.