This is my journal entry from September 8, 2025, part of my daily autobiography The Kind Divorce — my real, unedited days, published in order.
I started massage school today, and it was everything I hoped it would be. From the moment I walked into the massage school, I felt at home. I’m so grateful I chose this school instead of another massage school. The energy was welcoming, and the day confirmed I am in the right place.
There are supposed to be twelve of us in my class, though a couple didn’t show up, so we had ten on the first day. It’s me, one other guy who used to be in the military and looks to be in good shape, and eight women—most in their twenties, with two as young as eighteen and nineteen. At one point, a girl told me about meeting her boyfriend in high school, and I pictured this happening years ago. Then she said it was just last year. It made me laugh to realize how young some of my classmates are. It feels good to be surrounded by that kind of youthful energy—people who are excited about life and eager to learn the same things I am.
Today was all orientation, setting expectations and preparing for what lies ahead. I’m especially looking forward to the rookie massages we’ll receive at the end of the week from students in the classes ahead of us. I am also excited to finally study anatomy and physiology in a structured way, subjects I know little about but which will enrich everything else I’ve learned over the years. The day flew by, which is a blessing since this is the first time I’ve been in school in over a decade. Even the details went smoothly—traffic was light, I arrived early, and my roasted vegetables made a perfect lunch.
After class, I had a massage with a massage therapist and it was refreshing to talk with her so easily this time. Our first session was only sixty minutes, which made it harder to open up, but now, with a foundation built through working on her website, our conversation flowed naturally into personal histories and life stories. I even did a little life coaching with her, suggesting areas where she might make changes and reminding her of the things she’s already doing well. She made me a generous offer to trade far more massages than I expected in exchange for her website. That kind of generosity reminds me how much more natural the balance of virtue and greed feels in person. Online, I’ve often struggled with that balance, but face-to-face, it seems to work itself out gracefully.
By the end of the massage, I felt recharged and full of energy, the perfect way to close out my first day of school. We spent nearly two hours together between the massage and conversation, which felt ideal. I’m grateful she has the time for me now, because I know once our schedules get busier, it may not always be possible.
On my way home, I planned to go to my AA meeting, but my ex-wife’s car had a flat tire. I was thankful to find a tire shop at 9th and 9th that patched it immediately for just $33. I had been bracing to buy a whole new tire, so that felt like a small miracle. Once I brought the car back, my ex-wife was able to head off to Toastmasters while I put the kids to bed. It was nice to have that time with them since I hadn’t seen much of them in the morning or afternoon.
I also visited my mom briefly and sent text messages to catch up with people. Starting massage school inspired me to reach out to a couple of massage therapists I used to be close to but had fallen out of touch with. I let them know about school and offered to exchange letters if they wanted. Hardly anyone writes letters these days, but I find them more meaningful than phone calls or texts in some situations.
The day could hardly have gone better. Missing my AA meeting wasn’t ideal, but I’ll make up for it. My commitment is to attend five meetings a week no matter what. If I miss some during the week, I’ll catch up on the weekend. Massage school, a great massage session, time with my family, and even a lucky tire repair—it all added up to a fantastic first day.
If you connect with how I live and think, you can follow the rest of my days on YouTube in my Life playlist.