"Make hay while the sun shines".

If you take 5 years out, don't count on going back. The market is tough. It's going to get a lot tougher. With morons like Bill Gates trying to import outsourcing, your job will be snapped up by an H1-B visa holder who will NEVER let it go. On top of that, you'll be competing against cheap and desperate fresh outs. Imagine yourself as an employer: Do I want a recent college grad who is current on practices but inexperienced? Or do I want to pay double for some guy who quit programming five years ago?

In more normal times, I'd say you might leave for a year or so and claw your way back. But in this economy, even leaving for six months is the kiss of death. I recently had a recruiter tell me that they don't even look at anyone who has been out of work for 24 months. It's not just that they don't consider them on an even plane - they have a corporate policy to NOT EVEN CONSIDER THEM. It's short-sighted. It's stupid. It's reality.