On a small rise under a wide sky surrounded by trees is a stone. It is flat, gray and has words written deep on it. It was laid here by men long ago and was instructed to guard the sleeper below it. The stone holds itself ready at all times, watchful, waiting for anything that would disturb the sleep of its charge. The stone would give its life to fulfill the purpose given to it so long ago.

Over the stone stands a rose. The rose is purest white, the only flower on the whole sparse bush. It stands proud and erect daring the elements to challenge it. There are buds slowly coming to maturity, but they are not ready yet. The rose is alone and has such an important task. To guard the stone and what lay under it, to add grace and beauty to this small hill. The rose never forgets the hands that planted it there and always works to please them.

Standing over the rose is a tree, a tall, tall oak. The rose stands among his roots and has never noticed. The oak is old, brown and green,his roots strong and deep, his branches flung wide, his leaves bright. He stands, rough barked and ancient, ready to defend the helpless that sleep at his feet. He defends the rose, the stone and the sleeper from the harsh wind and the beating sun. He gives a place for birds to rest so that their songs can dance around the hill and help make it beautiful. The oak had already past youth when the sleeper was planted. The stone and then the rose followed soon after. The oak has never forgotten the hand, its skin old and wrinkled like his own, the hand that rested upon his bark and asked him to watch over the sleeper. The oak watches and guards. He hopes that his faithfulness will ease some of the weight off of that sweet hand that rested against him for a moment so long ago.

These three stand together on the small rise, under the sky, surrounded by trees. They faithfully guard the one who sleeps below. One day the sleeper will waken and they will not be needed to guard, but that day is not yet. So they stand, rock, flower, tree, waiting, waiting for that day.