No one likes to get dumped. It hurts. Even the word "dumped" is ugly. But sometimes rejection can teach you a valuable lesson, clear the way for a better relationship or spare you a lifetime of sorrow.

LEANNE: When I was 16 years old, I had a date with Bruce, an older boy. I had a wonderful time. When he brought me home, he said he'd call me. After a few days went by and I hadn't heard from him, I decided to call him. He said that he was thrilled to hear from me and had been meaning to call me but his cat had eaten my phone number. Whatever.

I took him at his word and chatted along, though it was mostly a monologue. Then, he interrupted me and said that he had another call coming in that he had to take. He promised to call me right back. I hung up wondering whether I'd just been dumped.

I was thrilled when the phone rang a few minutes later and I heard his voice ask for me. "Hi, Bruce!" I said, and then I picked up where I'd left off.

He interrupted me to say, "Would you or any of your friends be interested in selling magazines?" I asked him why on Earth he thought I'd want to sell magazines. He said that he wasn't Bruce but rather some guy who'd bought a copy of my school directory and was recruiting a sales team.

With tears in my eyes, I said that he'd told me he was my boyfriend, Bruce. He said "no" and that I was the one who told him he was Bruce, and he'd simply sat there and listened.

Lesson learned: If he doesn't call you, it means he doesn't want to talk to you. Accept it, and move on.

MAISIE: He always told me he was too good for me. I thought it was just modesty on his part. I refused to see that his drinking was out of control, his employment record was spotty, he had no friends and his relationship with his family was strained.

When he broke up with me I was heartbroken. But I've come to realize that was his only true unselfish act of love toward me. If we had stayed together, he would have dragged me down with him.

DOTTIE: I have two sweet and lovable beagles. Jack wasn't allergic to dogs or anything like that; he just didn't like animals. He never came out and told me that. He just said he hadn't grown up around pets.

One evening while we were making out on my sofa, he kept insisting he was getting dog hairs in his mouth. Mind you, I keep a clean house. I suggested it was mohair from the sweater I was wearing.

When he ended our relationship, he said that the dogs were too much responsibility for him. If I were out with my friends, he might have to put down a bowl of water for them one day!

He did me a favor by dumping me. I'm now in an extremely happy relationship with a wonderful man who also has two lovable canines. We can't imagine how anyone could live without a dog.

Have you been dumped? Have you ever dumped anyone?

Got a problem? Send it, along with your questions and rants to [email protected]. And check out my e-book, "Dear Cheryl: Advice from Tales from the Front."