Have you ever been in an airport or walked into a store and realized the employees around you might be connected to your work? I have—and it’s a powerful reminder of why what we do matters.

Maybe it’s the barista serving coffee who has dental coverage we helped negotiate. Or the retail worker who, thanks to their employer’s retirement plan, has a stronger financial future. Or perhaps it’s the family relying on a health plan we helped design so they can access care before a crisis hits.

They’ll never know our names. But in quiet, unseen ways, actuaries and consultants shape lives. We make health care more accessible, retirement more secure, and benefits more meaningful. That’s no small thing.

It’s easy in our profession to get caught up in deadlines, models, and reports. But behind every spreadsheet is a person, a family, a community. When we pause to recognize that, the work takes on new depth.

So the next time you’re buried in numbers, remember: your calculations are more than numbers. They are peace of mind. They are stability. They are hope.

That’s what makes this profession special. It’s not just about precision. It’s about people. And that’s something worth taking pride in every single day.