Years ago I put a rock upright in the yard

An ebenezer

Like the ones Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Erected to remember

God was here. God was right here

With me in this place.

I did this not because I had the faith

Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Ha! No, not I.

I did it because I thought if I had

That rock, right there

Where I could see it

It would remind me

God is in this place too.

It worked

It did its job so well

That I no longer needed to clear away the leaves that fell upon it

So I could see it from the kitchen window

And remember God is here.

I let that rock go unattended

The once all-important altar

Dormant of my offerings

My prayers for healing that

Wafted like the smoke from a fire

Ever upward

Free.

Cold, and forgotten, the rock in the yard.

Until yesterday

When I really needed that reminder again

I went outside to brush off the leaves

So that when I’m in the garden or in the kitchen

Or standing on the stoop waiting for the dogs to finish their business

I’ll see it

And it’ll tell me

Better than anyone else can

What I don’t want to forget.