The image above is of the sketch drawn by the committee that Congress commissioned to create the great seal on July 4th, 1776.

We live in a fast-paced and sometimes crazy world. And although this is certainly the greatest land for opportunity, there is also plenty of negativity that surrounds us every day. Most of the opportunities I have had in my professional career have been as a result of someone giving me a shot, taking a chance on me, or seeing a potential in me that I may not have even seen in myself. 

It has been in these opportunities that I found myself working harder and finding satisfaction in not only achieving the goals I set for myself but reaching a level of success that would also make the people who helped me get there proud as well. 

A Common Thread

When I joined the team at Parabilis, I recognized several aspects in the character of the people who embody the company that make it for me, honestly, the best job I have ever had. But, I am an optimistic person and I have surely felt this way, I have over time come to find just how important organizational culture is to my experience as a team member. The things people say and what they don’t always match up, which was usually why my tenure in former roles wasn’t extensive. 

But I noticed something built into the fabric of our company through each of the people involved: From founder to Board of Directors, to leadership to colleagues. One thing holds true: You have to give a piece of yourself and invest in yourself and of yourself if you want to be good at what you do. Everyone has a story, but it’s what you do with what you’ve learned from the journey that makes an impact on the world around you.

Walking the Walk

Our Chairman, Dr. Edward H. Bersoff, has said many times that what differentiates what we are trying to do is that we are called to “do well by first doing good.” Dr. Bersoff is a veteran with 25+ years of service in the Army Corps of Engineers, so I believe he knows a lot more about service to others than I do.

He is right: We can all do well, in our jobs, in our relationships, in our homes, anywhere, if we seek to first do what is right and what can help another. This is the core of our company’s culture. It brings me a source of pride and humility to know that I am encouraged to do what is right over what makes the most sense for my ability to make more money.

Giving Back to Our Community

For this reason, we are encouraged to volunteer our time with organizations that give back to those in need. We support Veteran organizations like the Camaraderie Foundation, which supports transitioning veterans not only with finding employment and mentoring them through their journey into the workplace but with services directed at mental health and emotional support for sufferers of PTSD. Their support services and mentoring programs allow for the entire family to make an easier transition from military to civilian life. 

It is through the hard work we do that we are afforded the luxuries we seek in life, but more than that, it is in what we give back that we really feel the inner fulfillment that leads to overall happiness within ourselves and camaraderie with the people in our communities.

We can all do well in life if we first start by doing good: For ourselves, for our families, for our friends, for our communities. We live in a competitive society, full of opportunities for success and wealth. It is hard sometimes to see what a little giving of our time, talent, and treasure can do to make a positive impact in this land that we love. We really are best when we stand together. E Pluribus Unum and may God continue to Bless the United States of America!