Stringsinger, as someone else pointed out earlier, just because someone else has lost a leg doesn't make a person feel good about losing a hand.

I understand burnout, and I urge anyone who experiences it to make every possible effort to get away from the cause for a while. I saved enough money (not much, trust me) to leave my job and take a six month leave once, and it was the best thing. I came back with perspective and energy, which I had lost.

I spent over a quarter century working with 3 to 12 year old poor or low income city kids, who acted out and fought and sometimes physically attacked their caregivers, but were nonetheless children with hope and with prospects, if they could be allowed to see them. I've seen most of them grow up and make a good life, and a few die by violence, and a few end in jail.

The best, most treasured compliment I've ever been offered was from a prematurely cynical eight year old girl, who one afternoon looked at me thoughtfully and said: "You really like kids, don't you. A lot of teachers don't like kids, but you do."

If you're too burnt out, you can't feel caring.