A Kinder, Gentler Th1ng

I got a call last night at about a quarter to nine. Users were reporting sluggishness in accessing applications. Since "sluggish" can encompass a lot of different things based on the quantity of the effect itself, I knew I'd be troubleshooting for a while just to figure out what they were talking about. After that I'd still have to go about solving the problem itself.
At first, I was angry.
I mean, I'd put in a full day at work already and just settled in to attend my WoW guild's first official heroic-level raid. The last thing I wanted to do was work harder than I should have to to resolve some nebulous issue for a user.
Then I had an epiphany.
It wasn't like a burst of light or spectral choir kind of epiphany. It was more a connection-related epiphany.
As I was logging in to get to work, I realized that these users with the complaints were no different than me. They have families and lives outside of work and probably didn't want to be grinding away at tasks after hours any more than I did.
Their ability to work quickly and efficiently is my responsibility, and by executing that responsibility I can get the users back to their families or favorite TV programs faster, improving their quality of life in the process.
And so I resolve from this day forward to do just that.
I will consider myself an employee and friend of the end user. If I keep them happy, the company benefits from their increased productivity. I'm sure the company will reward all of us based on our improved performance, which will fling us all into a never-ending happiness loop.
So, my challenge to you, internets, is to walk a mile in the packet shape of those users around you.
Think about their feelings and tailor your interactions around them.
Good intentions are the universal language of harmony. We will be able to use our good deeds as karmic currency.
I look forward to this new time of shared awareness and sincerely hope that you do as well.