Mending of a Broken Heart: The Nature of Meaning and the Purpose that Gives Life Hope

“His insight … rings humbly and true … Rich in metaphor, Mending of a Broken Heart is heartfelt, poetic, and beautifully written, offering wise reflections on the nature of life, death, suffering, and trying to find our way through an often-challenging world. Readers of Robert Wicks, C.S. Lewis, and Henri Nouwen, will find much to appreciate here.”

—BlueInk

“graceful” … “an elegant and weighty theological memoire.”

—Kirkus

“A search for answers to timeless questions leads to enlivening theology from a lay perspective … Familiar concepts are eloquently drawn to show the need for God … Nearly aphoristic gems reveal a talent for distilling complexity. The theme of agape … build[s] a case for seeing others from a radical perspective … God is portrayed in the multifaceted and challenging way that the topic deserves.”

—ForeWord Clarion

Mending of a Broken Heart: The Nature of Meaning and the Purpose that Gives Life Hope speaks with a distinctive and evocative voice. It brings to the world of words and the thoughts they convey the unique experiences of a man struggling to pass through the deeps of loss and to emerge with a trustworthy grasp on life's meaning and purpose. The author, James Michael Castleton, an award-winning physician, shares his journey in both prose and poetry. The blend captures the nature of life-sometimes lyrical and mystical and majestic, yet often prosaic and focused on finding a path upon which one can place each foot in turn, just to make one's way through the day.

Mending of a Broken Heart does not shy away from life's sharp edges or from exploring how they strike at the roots of relationships. As Dr. Castleton notes in beginning his reflections,

We are born with a broken heart,
Born with a sorrow we can only later articulate,
Born missing the most essential aspect of what we need to live a fulfilling life ...
Born without a sense of meaning.

Mending of a Broken Heart explains the distinctions between happiness and meaning and explores how having a valid purpose and holding to true hope contribute to giving meaning to one's life.