Why do politicians feel guilt or relief after quitting?

Politicians feel guilt or relief after quitting because it’s like ending a big game, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

Imagine you're playing tag with your friends in the park. You’re the one who's “it,” and everyone else is running away from you. It feels tough at first, but once you stop chasing them and go home, you feel relief because the game is over, no more running!

But if you were really excited to be “it” and had a lot of fun, and now you're not “it” anymore, you might feel a little guilt, like you left your friends in the middle of the best game ever.

That’s what happens with politicians. They’re like the person who's "it" in the game. When they quit, if everything went well for them, they feel relief. But if they had a lot of fun or responsibility and are leaving it behind, they might feel guilt, like they left something important behind.

• If they did good things, they feel relief, like finishing a fun game.
• If they enjoyed being in charge, they feel guilt, like leaving the best part of the game.