What do a centuries-old pilgrimage path in Spain, a world chief in community know-how and $54,986 have in frequent?
Nicely, earlier than I reply that query, let me again up a bit… The Camino de Santiago, established within the ninth century, is a community of pilgrimage routes resulting in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.
Did you catch that key phrase? A community of roads: a method to join individuals.
You in all probability already know that Cisco is a worldwide chief in networking know-how. There’s that phrase once more: community.
At first look, Cisco and the Camino de Santiago appear to have little in frequent. Nonetheless, each characterize complicated, interconnected methods that thrive on an internet of connections.
I lately accomplished my second pilgrimage alongside a bit of the Camino de Santiago. Like final yr’s journey, I devoted my stroll to Docs With out Borders, elevating funds to make sure they’ve the instruments, sources and help wanted to offer life-saving medical care, and I walked utilizing Cisco’s Time2Give profit. Time2Give is a worldwide providing from Cisco that offers staff 10 days of paid day without work, along with our common trip day without work, to volunteer at nonprofit, nongovernmental, and faith-based organizations and faculties of our selection.
Final yr was my first try at fundraising, so I began with a conservative aim of elevating $2,000. I used to be impressed once we surpassed that aim, elevating a complete of $16,501 for DWB. This yr, I set a extra formidable aim of $20,000. As of November 27, the Docs With out Borders web site exhibits that we’ve raised $38,485.
my probability to provide It closes on December 31, however in whole, for 2 years, we’ve raised $54,986 and relying on the help of many Cisco staff and the generosity of many others. Cisco additionally agrees each worker donation greenback for greenback, as much as $25,000, amplifying our impression.
As I walked 10 to fifteen miles a day on the Camino, I mirrored on my life experiences, my household, my pals, my religion, and, sure, my work. Surprisingly, I discovered myself reflecting on the similarities between the Camino de Santiago and Cisco.
Individuals from everywhere in the world meet on the Camino, ranging from numerous factors in Europe, touring a community of roads and thru cities and communities that welcome them, providing them shelter, meals and encouragement. You’ll hear languages and see individuals from everywhere in the world strolling and speaking in concord. Sharing a easy “Buen Camino” greeting is a standard thread that connects pilgrims and the community.
Equally, Cisco builds and maintains digital networks which might be rather more than a set of routers and switches. It’s a dwelling system via which corporations, governments and people can talk and collaborate. Cisco fosters group via its applied sciences, connecting individuals all over the world and permitting groups to work collectively seamlessly. Cisco makes human expression doable no matter distance or circumstances.
Nevertheless it’s not simply the technological facet of Cisco that creates connections; It’s the group inside Cisco. The supportive surroundings, collaboration, and shared objectives contribute to a tradition that evokes staff to construct and strengthen our personal networks.
For instance, I used to be impressed by a gaggle of over 400 Cisconians, household and pals who walked the Camino and raised cash for most cancers consciousness in 2022. Though I used to be not in a position to be part of them on the time, they set an instance for my pilgrimage. and inspired me alongside the way in which.
Though I went down this street twice and exceeded my fundraising objectives, I did not do something extraordinary. All I did was comply with my coronary heart and put one foot in entrance of the opposite for an excellent trigger. I’ve come to grasp that point is a treasured commodity and that what we select to do with time can decide the trajectory of our lives and that of others, and that we should use it correctly. Worker advantages like Time2Give and matching funds assist us, as Cisco residents, do that. They permit us to search out one thing we’re enthusiastic about, use our networks and people of Cisco to advance our path and proceed to assist make the world a more in-depth place and drive a extra inclusive future for all.
My very own journey alongside the Camino took greater than 10 years to finish. Possibly I used to be such as you, working at a desk, sitting behind a pc, content material studying about different individuals’s adventures. There comes a time whenever you cease studying and begin doing.
I thank Cisco for the chance to get away from the enterprise for 2 weeks on this unbelievable journey and for matching the donations. I’m extremely grateful for the generosity of the individuals who supported me financially and spiritually on my journey. I recognize the number of methods I obtained help from Cisco. This sense of group is what makes Cisco greater than only a office—it is a community of people that help one another to make a constructive impression on the world.
On the coronary heart of Cisco and the Camino de Santiago is the notion of group. That is the place we discover a frequent thread: the ability of connection. These are the connections that assist carry the worldwide residents of our world nearer collectively. Actually, these are the connections that make $54,986 doable.
I’m amazed by the connectivity that unites us, and by the networks of each the Camino de Santiago and Cisco that flip an concept or risk into actuality.
Good Means.
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