I can take any furious caller and talk them down to calm, and I'm proud of that. But I do it eight hours a day, sounding warm and patient while I feel nothing at all. Somewhere in all that practiced calm, the real me got quieter and quieter until I can barely hear myself.
More people experience this than they realize.
Performing patience all day, every day has slowly emptied out the person underneath.
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.