Author: James Thebarge

“Liberty’s Echo” On hallowed soil where patriots stood,They swore their truth in ink and blood.They dreamed a land both just and freeA sacred torch for you and me. The bell rang out, the muskets flared,For rights and freedoms none had dared.Each star was stitched with hope and fight,Each stripe a blaze for what is right.… Continue reading Happy 4th of July

A story of a quiet room, a deeper truth, and a dream that still flickers. It was in my sixth year as a VNA hospice volunteer when I received a call from an old friend. We hadn’t spoken in years, but the sound of his voice carried something more urgent than words, grief, confusion, and… Continue reading The Dream He Carried Home

The outer door gave a soft click as it locked behind us. In front of us stood the final barrier, a heavy door with a glowing security keypad. I entered the code I know by heart, and with a gentle beep, it opened into the memory care unit.This is a place wrapped in both tenderness… Continue reading The Ones Who Forget, and the Dog Who Remembers

He does not speak, yet hearts respond,To gentle eyes, to love beyond.A golden soul with steady grace,He meets the broken face to face. No judgment passed, no words to say,Just presence in the hardest day.A silent oath in every pawTo cradle pain and soften raw. The patient weeps, the world too loud,But in that hush,… Continue reading The Silent Healer

A story of quiet devotion, lasting love, and two faithful hearts gone too soon. Joe, a quiet, elderly man in our neighborhood, used to pass by our house each morning, step by step accompanied by two aging Labrador Retrievers. Slow and steady, they walked together through the changing seasons: in the hush of rain beneath… Continue reading The Last Walk

The clock still ticks, the sun still sets, But hearts grow cold with small regrets. A moment lost, a glance away A child’s smile fades into gray. We chase the screen, ignore the call Of laughter echoing down the hall. It’s not the texts or photos stored, But love, in person, we’ve ignored. So pause… Continue reading Put Down the Phone

The room reeked of mildew and yesterday’s sorrow. A single bare bulb dangled overhead, its light flickering like a nervous pulse. In the corner, he sat, knees drawn to his chest, forehead resting on bruised fists, his small body carved into a silhouette of grief. The air around him was thick, still, and humid with… Continue reading Children Are Like Wet Cement. Whatever falls on them leaves an impression-

The air in Room 213 was thin and quiet, like the hush of a chapel after the last amen. The window was cracked just enough to let in the scent of late summer roses from the garden below. A soft breeze stirred the white curtains, whispering secrets from a world that seemed to move on… Continue reading Flowers for the living

The evening sky gently squeezed the remaining light from the day. It was dark before 5 PM… The see-saw like temperatures landed on Winter and the restless wind rustled the remaining leaves from their hiding places. The once brightly colored fall leaves from our Maple tree are now racing each other across the freshly fallen… Continue reading A True Story

Memories from 35 years ago:I was floating in a dark void. My senses shut down. My awareness of my surrounding disconnected… Then someone used ammonia smelling salts that triggered a reflex to breathe deeply, in and out, even in an unconscious state. I started hearing voices. Jim are you okay. Did you hit your head… Continue reading VNA – Hospice training