The Bequest of Time
In an elusive and bygone world, there nestled a quaint, unpretentious village named Kinleigh. Living its rustic and simple life, oblivious of the rapid time was a doting grandfather, Samuel, and his effervescent granddaughter, Ellie.
Samuel was a somber old shoe mender who lived in a cozy, ivy-clad house at the edge of Kinleigh, while Ellie was a scholar at the village school. Samuel's life, marked by trials and hardships, bore a promising resemblance to the worn-out shoes that he mended every day. However, his life took a delightful turn when little Ellie entered, much like a streak of sunshine penetrating deep into an age-old, dilapidated mansion.
Their mutually cherished routine included sharing tales from the past and present. On one such beautiful afternoon, Samuel, washing a pair of boots, confessed to Ellie, 'Despite being a servant of time all my life, I think I've been serving it wrong, sweetheart.'
His words contained an uncanny meaning that Ellie ruminated upon. 'How can one serve time, Grandpa?' she asked, knitting her eyebrows in a quest for understanding. Samuel continued his work, gazing affectionately at Ellie's innocence.
'Every wrinkle of mine, Ellie, is an echo of time. Each one narrates a tale of passé served and how we're entrapped in its inevitable precision. Like these worn-out shoes, we’ve all been tamed and traveled by time, and yet it never stops. It moves- steadily and profoundly, sweeping us in its unalterable journey.'
Even though Ellie was too little to comprehend the philosophical depth of Samuel's words, a strange intrigue made her ponder it anyway.
Several years passed by and Ellie, with the passage of time, grew into a sharp, intelligent young woman. Samuel, on the other hand, entered a phase of life where he was more confined to his room due to failing health. His wrinkles deepened, much like the creases of an old, forgotten book, and a certain kind of melancholy veiled his glowing spirit.
Ellie, fueled by her love and concern for Samuel, often found herself dwelling on the concept of 'serving time'. After receiving her degree in Physics, she decided to delve into the arena of Time Travel, an untouched and often ridiculed domain in her field of knowledge.
Ellie's quest for 'serving time' differently consequently led her to the invention of a Time Machine. An overwhelming wave of euphoria washed over her, not at the achievement of a game-changing invention, but at the prospect of finally understanding the essence of her grandpa's words and perhaps, extending his time.
With anxious steps, Ellie approached Samuel's room to reveal her triumph. She discovered an ironically peaceful Samuel, stretched out on his bed motionlessly, with an unfinished pair of shoes hanging by his reach. His journey in 'time' had concludes, leaving a poignant void behind.
The subsequent days bore heavy on Ellie. The time machine, instead of being a fitting tribute to her grandpa, became a dolorous reminder of his absence. She found herself stuck just like the unfinished pair of Samuel's shoes.
One night, while she gazed at the stars through her grandpa's window, a realization descended upon her. Like every star in the cosmos, each one of us is an element of time, and just like they do, we flicker, glow, and eventually fade away. Yet, the cosmos continues to throb with time, preserving all of us as elements of its majestic existence.
Ellie comprehended the truth of Samuel's words, that to serve time wasn't about cheating death or dwelling in the past, but to imbibe the wisdom it leaves behind, to graciously accept its flow, to cherish the goodness every moment offers, and to tread towards the eventual sunset with grace.
Finally, she realized that even the Time Machine was not an instrument to manipulate time but to understand it. Everyone serves time in their own way. To live, love, learn, and eventually let go- that was the real bequest of time. This was how one was supposed to perceive and serve it right.