In a serene village, a traveler entered and, on his way, encountered a cremation ground adorned with stones bearing names and ages. Intrigued, he observed that the ages inscribed on the stones were notably short—5 years, 8 years, 10 years, and 20 years. Curiosity piqued, he continued his journey through the village.
Welcomed by the villagers, the man was treated with warmth and kindness. Despite planning to stay for work, he decided to depart early, attributing his decision to the perceived brevity of life in the village.
When the villagers inquired about his abrupt departure, the man explained his misconception, pointing to the ages on the stones in the cremation ground. Amused, the villagers burst into laughter, revealing that there were individuals among them aged 60, 70, and even 90 years.
Perplexed, the man sought an explanation. The villagers enlightened him about their unique tradition. Each day, after toiling and laboring, the villagers dedicated the remaining hours to singing hymns and chanting the name of God. Before retiring for the night, they meticulously recorded the time spent in divine pursuits in their diaries.
Upon a villager's demise, the community would refer to the individual's diary. The cumulative time spent in spiritual practices was then translated into years and etched onto the person's stone. These were the years dedicated to the higher purpose of life, signifying the time spent doing what each person was truly born to do.
The profound lesson echoed in the village's sacred tradition—that the true measure of a life well-lived lies not in the number of years, but in the depth of spiritual investment. The timeless legacy of devotion to a higher calling surpassed the transitory nature of worldly affairs, leaving an indelible mark on the stones of remembrance.