The Kind Divorce

By: Jerry Banfield

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

You are about to experience one of the most intimate stories I’ve ever shared — the days leading up to the end of my twelve-and-a-half-year marriage, captured in real time through my daily diary entries.

When I began writing The Kind Divorce on August 30, 2025, I had no idea I was about to enter the most transformative chapter of my life. What started as a record of my days before massage school became a raw chronicle of a marriage quietly unraveling — and of two people choosing love and kindness even as they part ways.

This is not a how-to manual or a polished self-help guide. It’s a firsthand account of what really happens when two people decide to end a marriage without destroying each other. You’ll witness our honest conversations, moments of anger and heartbreak, and the surprising peace that came when we focused on compassion instead of blame. Along the way, you’ll walk beside me as I navigate grief, fear, and freedom — learning how to rebuild from zero: finding a new home just two blocks away, starting massage school in my forties, balancing co-parenting with my soon-to-be ex-wife, and discovering what it means to begin again financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

You’ll also see the daily practices that kept me grounded: eleven years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, the calm of yoga, the energy of tennis, the power of writing, and the friendships that reminded me life can stay beautiful even in upheaval. If you’ve ever wondered whether divorce can happen with empathy instead of hostility, or what it looks like to stay sober, spiritual, and sane through heartbreak, this book will show you. Each entry was dictated within a day or two of the events, with no hindsight and no filters.

By the end, you’ll see how I transformed loss into possibility — how a marriage that ended became a new foundation for friendship, parenting, and love. Whether you’re facing your own separation, supporting someone through one, or simply curious about what it means to part ways with grace, I hope The Kind Divorce offers you both perspective and hope.

The Kind Divorce is Book 2 in my autobiographical journal series, Daily Autobiography, which began with Author in St. Petersburg. Each book continues the story of my life as it unfolds in real time — a living autobiography told through honesty, emotion, and reflection.

Are you ready to walk through a divorce that doesn’t destroy — but heals?