DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend broke up with me because he wanted his "freedom." But I had given him complete freedom. He could have done anything he wanted. My only stipulation was that he couldn't have a roving eye. I think that's being more than fair. We are both high school seniors.

Well, it seems that his roving eye got the best of him because he started dating a new girl at our school. It really bothered me to see them at a school dance. At that moment, I decided that I really hate this guy and I wouldn't feel sorry if bad things happened to him.

His pride and joy is his souped-up Thunderbird. He becomes upset if the car so much as gets rained on and rents a garage for it from my best friend's dad. I asked Julie to ask her dad if he would stop renting my ex-boyfriend the garage so that he would have to park his car in front of the apartment complex where he and his parents live. That way, rain wind and birds would pound his car, which would cause him to spend all his spare time keeping his car clean. That means he wouldn't be able to spend a lot of time with his new love.

My friend said she would not ask her dad to kick the car out of the garage because her dad wants the rental fee. I think my friend has let me down in a time of need. I like her, but things will never be the same between us. She thinks my request was stupid and spiteful. I don't see it that way. I see it as revenge. What's your opinion? —Nameless, Rochester, N.Y.

NAMELESS: "Spite" and "revenge" are the same thing — and both words describe emotionally unhealthy, futile behavior that usually boomerangs on the perpetrator. It is, indeed, stupid. In your case, you've damaged a friendship by trying to involve your best friend in a scheme to inflict petty punishment on your ex.

Stop trying to think of ways to make your former boyfriend's life miserable! If you don't, the person who is guaranteed to be miserable is you. I suggest you stop feeling sorry for yourself and put your ex out of your mind. We all experience loss in our lives from time to time. This could be a learning experience. The best way to be happy is to start thinking about the welfare of others.

Why not find a way to help people who lost everything in Hurricane Sandy. A call to your local Red Cross could be the beginning of the new you. Contact me again and let me know what you have done to help and how it made you feel good about yourself.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.