I took a year LOA. Right before I the year was up. I debating going back to work I calculated that if just worked another 3 years between stock options, salary, bonus and profit sharing I would have more than $1 million (although much less after taxes). It was hard walking away from that kind of money.
Well this was back in 2000, Intel stock immediately crashed, bonus and profit sharing were slashed. If I had gone back to work the stock options would have been worthless, I wouldn't have diversified my portfolio, and probably would have ended up with very small financial gains.
Of course pensions are much more secure than stock options, but stuff happens. More years in retirement is the bird in the hand.
Great story and lesson in it.