Yes, it sure can. Trust me . . . I know. Your main job is to take care of you. Your ex is pretty good at looking out for his own interests. He found you, didn't he? He had a great little set-up for himself, where he got to pursue whatever he wanted, and you stayed on ice, available to him when he had the time to bother with you. Maybe his life isn't going to be as "safe" without you, as it was with you. He had a great deal with you. Sure he misses it. But what was the deal you had? You're not in this world just to sacrifice yourself on an altar built to worship someone else's ambitions. He wants a woman who'll give him all the devotion of a wife, but to whom he does not have to give much back.

If this is just a phase of his, then tell him to give you a call when he gets passed his phase. My guess is this guy will be running around doing "gigs" when he's 40 years old. It's nice to have someone to love and to help. It's also nice to be loved and helped and considered in return.

How many years did you spend with this guy? You sure can't meet a guy ready for a healthy relationship when you're all tied up with one who isn't. One of the dumbest things young women do (and I did it too.) is to let men waste their time. Getting what you want in life requires being a little hard-headed.

This guy is driving a hard bargain. As much as you meant to him, he is ready to go through all this misery, rather than realize that he can't have it all. But you are the mean one who won't let him. No thought to what you want. If you settle for what someone will let you have, then all you will ever have is what it costs them nothing to give you. This guy chose you because you were easy to take advantage of.

He's pursuing what he wants in life. That's his right. Try doing that for yourself. There's millions of other guys out there. You have only one life.