I often sit in this abandoned churchyard in Deal

Perhaps abandoned it the wrong word

As this tranquil area is deeply loved

The area has been cleared with the gravestones

Leaning against the original walls

They are decaying slowly with many of the characters lost to time

Although not numerous there are memorials set into the walls

One of these records the passing of Esther Ring who died in 1831 aged twenty-one

It is a sparse yet beautiful memorial which is fading slowly into its original state

My wife and I have adopted this memorial and will lay flowers once a year

On the anniversary of her passing and journey into eternity

I visited the churchyard yesterday and was soon joined by a young couple who sat nearby

They were discreetly listening to a radio which was playing songs by The Beatles

The final song was one of my favourites Eleanor Rigby

It was then that I wondered whether Eleanor and Esther had ever met in Heaven

I knew that there was no answer to my question so I closed my eyes and listened to the birds