Two summers ago, I spent some time in Georgia. It was a different universe than the crowded streets and fast pace of New York City — where I live now. Laying down roots and connecting with people was as easy as breathing. Walking through the aisles of a grocery store, a stock clerk would ask, “How are you doing today?” When I looked back, he had stopped working and was waiting for my response.

Years ago, I watched Kent Beck’s talk on finding ease at work. He described death marches and unsustainable pace. He told stories of people having their humanity ignored, resulting in burn out and depression. Though, I was yet to experience life as part of a development team, my college experience allowed me to identify with those stories. He went on to discuss the pendulum swing between two states of engineering, the highs of being the team hero and the lows of being a failure.