In a candid and emotional narration, Jethro opens up about the collapse of his marriage following his move back to Zimbabwe. What was meant to be a fresh start turned into the final chapter of his relationship, a journey he describes as painful but ultimately necessary for his personal growth.
Jethro reflects not just on the events, but on the mindset and mistakes that led to the separation, offering a raw look at love, loss, and the hard realities of “hustling” in a new environment.
What Jethro Believed: The Causes of the Divorce
Jethro categorizes the breakdown of his marriage into long-term issues, short-term triggers, and personal failures in understanding his role as a husband. Here is what he believes led to the divorce:
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Naivety About Change: Jethro admits he entered the marriage seeing red flags regarding their core values but ignored them. He falsely believed that his partner would change her attitude after the wedding or that he could “fix” her.
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Financial Misalignment: He confesses to having a poor relationship with money, often living beyond his means to maintain an image. He believed that marriage would somehow magically solve his financial lack of discipline, but instead, the financial stress eroded their happiness.
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The Trauma of Loss: Jethro identifies the loss of their baby in 2021 as a major short-term cause. He believes his wife never properly healed or sought counseling, leading to “mud-slinging,” a total loss of affection, and an inability to connect emotionally afterward.
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Misunderstanding Manhood: He believes he failed to be a “firm” leader. Jethro feels he was raised to “tolerate” everything from a woman, which made him passive (a “simp” in his words). He now believes a man must be the final decision-maker and draw strict lines, particularly regarding finances.
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Over-reliance on Friends: He believes they made the mistake of listening to friends rather than seeking God’s counsel or listening to each other. He feels that oversharing marital problems with friends gave outsiders ammunition to destroy their relationship.
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Clashing Visions: While his ex-wife was ambitious, Jethro believes their ambitions were not complementary. He argues that a successful marriage requires visions that align and support one another (using Jay-Z and Beyoncé as an example), rather than competing or crushing one another.
Timeline of the Divorce
Based on Jethro’s narration, the dissolution of the marriage followed this timeline:
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Pre-Wedding: Jethro notices that his partner’s values do not align with his own but proceeds with the marriage, hoping she will change.
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Early Marriage: The couple struggles with finances due to a lack of discipline and a desire to “live beyond their means” to impress others.
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2021 (The Turning Point): The couple loses their baby. The tragedy leads to depression, panic attacks, and a complete breakdown of emotional affection.
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The Decision to Move: Struggling with the marriage, they decide to move back to Zimbabwe. Jethro hopes the move will fix their financial woes and give them a fresh start.
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Arrival in Zimbabwe (The Struggle): The move does not fix their problems. For the first 7 months, Jethro’s finances are in disarray. He struggles to adapt to the local “hustle,” failing in business attempts and even selling cattle just to pay rent.
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The Breakdown: Under the pressure of financial lack and emotional distance, the marriage crumbles. Jethro describes “dying inside” while keeping up appearances of a happy couple on social media.
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The Separation: Realizing he could no longer live a lie, they part ways. Jethro notes that he didn’t see a future and feared the depression would kill him if he stayed.
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Post-Divorce (The Last 2 Years): Jethro describes this period as a time of “positive change.” He has since pursued further studies, started building his life, and is co-parenting his children. He has learned to live “one day at a time” and stop competing with others.
