DEAR ABBY: I'm a 26-year-old minor league baseball player. I have been involved in two serious relationships. My first was a girl I became engaged to when I was 20 and in college playing baseball there. I loved her and was committed to her, but she was jealous of my "first love" -- my sport. She constantly tried in subtle ways to get me to quit. After we had a huge fight, she finally threw my ring back at me.
I stayed single for a couple of years and then met a woman and began slowly dating her. The first year our relationship was good, but over the next three years the same issues arose and I was hearing, "You're selfish." "You don't love me." "Grow up!"
Being a professional baseball player has been my dream since I was 5, and I'm not ready to give up on it yet. Both these women continue to call and text me crying because it didn't work out. I'm angry at them for not supporting me, but I also feel sad for them because all they did was love me. What do I do about them and about trusting women with my heart and dreams? -- LOVELESS IN THE MIDWEST
DEAR LOVELESS: Stop allowing those women to lay a guilt trip on you. I'm sure when you met them you made it clear that you wanted a career in baseball -- and the sacrifice that would mean for all parties concerned. Instead of wasting more time looking back, tell these women goodbye once and for all and stop responding to their calls and messages.
To be the wife of a professional athlete takes a special kind of woman, someone with a strong sense of independence because of the number and length of the inevitable separations that come with the sports business. Look around at your teammates who have successful marriages, then ask them if they know any eligible ladies. I can't guarantee you won't strike out, but I'm willing to wager that the odds of hitting a home run will be better.