This post was authored by Priyanshi R., a technical intern on the IIoT Team.

I didn’t expect something as simple as rolling cotton to stay with me the way it did.

When I signed up for the World Cancer Day volunteering session with Cisco’s Cancer Support Network Inclusive Community (what we call ERGs) and Karunashraya, a local hospice trust, I thought it would be a good break from work, an opportunity to do something meaningful, and a chance to come back feeling a little lighter. But somewhere in the middle of it, that expectation shifted. What began as a simple volunteer activity transformed into something much deeper — a quiet, but lasting shift in perspective.

We were sitting together, working on cotton balls, gauze pads, and small medical kits. The process was simple: roll, adjust, place it aside, and begin again. At first, it felt almost mechanical, like any repetitive task you’re just trying to get right. But then, in a small, unremarkable moment, I paused and looked at what I had made in my hand, and something about it stayed.

That small piece of cotton would eventually reach someone. Someone who might be in pain. Someone going through something heavy and uncertain in ways I don’t fully understand. That thought didn’t pass quickly; it lingered, creating intention in the routine motions. And in that moment, I realized how easily we underestimate the smallest things until they become all someone has in a difficult moment. From there, every piece I worked on carried that quiet sense of meaning.

What made the experience even more powerful was the room itself. No one had to be there, but everyone chose to be. I felt it in their focus, patience, and way they showed up. At that moment, it didn’t feel like a workplace, but it didn’t feel like an “event” either. We were a group of people, from interns like me to leaders from all corners of the company, who came together quietly and sincerely, dedicated to something that mattered.

That’s when the shift became clear. The volunteering I initially viewed as a break in my day was a powerful moment of human connection. There’s also a part of this experience we’ll never see, like who receives those kits or what kind of day they’re having when they do. We won’t hear their stories or witness the impact directly. And yet, in a way, that made it even more meaningful. It reminded me that some of the most important things we do are not always the ones we get to see through to the end. Sometimes, the value lies simply in showing up and contributing.

That is what makes social impact initiatives like this at Cisco so meaningful. Impact is usually measured in scale, visibility, and numbers, but this experience reminded me that care, dignity, and the willingness to dedicate your time to something seemingly small matter deeply to someone else. So much of our time at work is structured around meetings, deadlines, and deliverables. Moments like this strip all of that away, allowing you to see people beyond their roles — their thoughtfulness, patience, and presence. And somehow, that makes coming back to work feel more human.

This wasn’t just about one event or one day. It was about being part of a place that creates space for moments like these, where doing something small, quietly and sincerely, matters just as much as the work in our job descriptions. Cisco truly encourages us to step outside our daily roles and invest in our communities, and having that support makes all the difference.

What I carry forward from that day isn’t just the memory of what we made, but the feeling of how we made it with patience, attention, and intent. That stays. And maybe that is the real impact of days like this: they stay with you long after the table is cleared, quietly changing the way you look at work, at people, and at what it means to truly contribute.

Check out more intern and early career stories on the WeAreCisco Blog.

Subscribe to the WeAreCisco Blog.