In Lyrics of a Broken Heart, James Mueller writes: The loss of Luke was dissociating and unhinging. I was groping in the darkness, in sadness, with no sense of how to move forward in a life without my son. The writing was the key to my sanity. As I continued to write, I discovered I was creating a pathway through grief toward emotional wholeness.
Turning his private journaling into a book, Mueller shares with the reader the deepest emotions a father can experience from the loss of his child. Through lyric prose, he plumbs the depth of his journey from devastating loss to emotional recovery. The experience of loss can be so potent we may compartmentalize our emotions--as the author reflects in "The Cavern of My Lament."
Speaking in a voice that is honest, raw, soft, and vulnerable, he lays bare his world, inviting us to feel, to embrace, to trust our own process without judgment. In doing so, we discover our pathway, our own authentic journey.
What Others Have to Say...
Lyrics of a Broken Heart is nothing less than a lamentation, coming from the depths of a broken spirit, over a father's loss of his son. It's not often that males allow others, especially strangers, to witness their raw emotions, but Mueller does so in this short volume. -- Ron Hamel, PhD, Theologian/Ethicist
This book is amazing--so devastating in the beginning and then so filled with light and hope at the end. Everyone who has suffered a loss should read it! -- Lynn Meister, MD, Medical Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Team, Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
This book addresses often-overlooked aspects of parenting: a father's perspective and love for his child. Jim Mueller's insights and reflections are worth their weight in gold. This short book is packed with words of wisdom for all dads, and especially those who may have a child with special needs. -- David Hirsch, President, 21st Century Dads Foundation and host of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast
Jim Mueller aptly describes his pieces as "lyrics of a broken heart." The vulnerability on these pages about the process of grieving will forge a pathway from heart to heart and create a shared connection of understanding and deep humanity. This beautiful book will let you know that no matter how deep your grief, you are not alone in this world. It's a beautiful and necessary book that ultimately offers healing and hope. -- Donna Gephart, award-winning author of Lily & Dunkin, In Your Shoes, and The Paris Project
Jim Mueller's heart-wrenching account of the loss of his son is a stunning and soulful expression of the ultimate interpersonal loss that can be experienced by human beings. It reflects not only the sad journey that was taken by Jim, Margot, and Lili, and Jessica, but is also a tribute to Luke's bright spirit, humor, and ability to maintain an amazing family cohesiveness. Jim, as a loving father and devoted friend to Luke, has captured the essence of human devotion, love, hope, and emotional pain that only a parent can experience. Lyrics of a Broken Heart is mandatory reading for any parent who has experienced the loss of a child. -- Robert Shumaker, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
Mueller, James: - James Mueller, a father of three children, grew up on a dairy farm in the beautiful countryside of Upstate New York in the heart of the Mohawk Valley. After graduating from Cornell University, he attended seminary, obtaining a master's degree with high honors with an emphasis in pastoral care. With his son's condition challenged by the harsh winters in Chicago, the family moved to Delray Beach, Florida, where Jim established his consulting firm in 2005, providing governance, organizational development, and philanthropy counsel to organizations throughout the United States and the Caribbean.
