Seeing headlines float around, stuff like that Deion and Pilar Sanders divorce settlement business, really throws me back. It’s like a jolt, reminding me of the whole messy process I went through myself a while back. Not famous, no cameras, thank God, but still a grind.
I remember the first step was just admitting things were totally broken. That took forever. Then came the awkward talk. We decided, okay, let’s try to do this like adults. Famous last words, right?
Finding Someone to Help
First thing I did was look for a lawyer. Didn’t want some shark, just someone solid who wouldn’t make things worse. I asked around, got a couple names. Met with two guys. One felt like he just wanted to fight, charge me a fortune. The other guy, older dude, seemed more level-headed. I went with him. Felt like the right gut call at the time.
The Paperwork Nightmare
Then came the paperwork. My God, the paperwork. It was unbelievable. You think you know what you own, what you owe? Think again. My lawyer told me, “Get everything. Bank statements, pay stubs, credit cards, retirement accounts, car titles, the house deed.” For years back.
- I spent weeks digging through old files.
- I had boxes stacked up in the living room.
- I had to call banks, request old statements. What a pain.
- Made copies of everything. Three times. One for me, one for my lawyer, one for her side eventually.
It felt like an invasion of my own life, laying everything bare. But you gotta do it. That’s how they figure out who gets what.
Talking Money and Stuff
Next up was trying to agree on splitting things. The house was the big one, obviously. Then the car, the savings, the furniture even. Down to stupid things like who got the good kitchen knives. You start arguing about stuff you never thought you’d argue about. It gets petty sometimes. It’s draining.
There were meetings. My lawyer, her lawyer, sometimes us in the room, sometimes not. Lots of back and forth. Offers, counter-offers. It felt like it would never end. Some days were okay, felt like progress. Other days it was just yelling, or worse, cold silence.
Seeing it Through
Eventually, we got there. Signed the papers. Went before a judge for like five minutes. Boom. Done. But the whole thing, from start to finish? Took over a year. Cost a pile of money I didn’t really have.
So yeah, when I see these celebrity blow-ups like Deion and Pilar’s, I get it. The scale is different, millions of dollars and public eyes watching. But the basic, grinding, stressful process? Digging through your life, fighting over assets, the emotional rollercoaster? Feels pretty familiar. It’s just a tough road, plain and simple. Glad mine’s in the rearview mirror.
