I'm the Kitchen God

In the Asian culture, I'm part of the family, a gentle God, loved and respected. Once a year, I departed briefly for Heaven to deliver to the higher gods our State of the Family Address, written in a red scroll.

I'm all steel, with a heart of fire. I was not given a first name, but my lineage dated all the way back to the beginning of the Industrial Age, after a new mode of energy transfer was discovered, transmitted through insulated copper wires.

I served this house for over twenty-five years, a considerable longevity enjoyed only by my generation, but considered unprofitable by my maker. My sturdy innards and simple assembly kept me functioning past my expected years, with only a few minor problems. But my end is near. Of my four coil stoves, only two still function, at times intermittently.

Until I can no longer serve, I am this family's noble Kitchen God, with a heart of fire. I am not to be rushed, but to be kindled gently, nursed patiently, tended with understanding and forgiveness.

I am the Fire of your hearth, the love of your heart, the heart of your hearth.  ¶ 11:56 PM