I am deeply immersed in my medical work, and it can get very

Hear the words of Pardis Sabeti, physician, scientist, and warrior against invisible foes: “I am deeply immersed in my medical work, and it can get very intense, but I believe that the connection and devotion is key. You can not work on diseases as devastating and deadly as Lassa and Ebola without complete trust and respect for the individuals with whom you work. My lab and colleagues are just extraordinary, and we are a family.” In this declaration, she unveils the essence of true labor: that when one faces darkness so profound, only the light of connection, trust, and devotion can sustain the spirit.

The origin of her words lies in the crucible of epidemic. Sabeti and her colleagues confronted Lassa and Ebola, diseases swift and merciless, that spread fear across continents and consumed entire communities. In such work, the stakes are not measured in data alone but in lives—lives of patients, of doctors, of entire villages. In those perilous moments, technical skill is not enough. One must be bound to one’s companions with threads of loyalty stronger than fear. For in the lab and in the field, where exposure to these plagues could mean death, every act requires trust and every decision requires respect.

The ancients knew this truth well. Warriors of Sparta, when standing against the Persian host at Thermopylae, did not endure because of individual strength, but because of their trust in one another’s shields. So too in science and medicine: the healer must know that her colleague will guard her life, that the team stands as one body. Without such solidarity, fear would shatter resolve and death would triumph. Sabeti’s words echo the wisdom of the ages: that in the face of mortal danger, family is forged not only by blood, but by shared devotion.

Consider the story of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Many international teams rushed to aid, yet what held them together was not only training, but courage born of unity. Colleagues worked in stifling protective suits, day after day, knowing that one mistake could cost everything. Yet because they trusted one another, they persevered. Some gave their lives, and others lived to carry forward the fight. This story reveals that even in laboratories and clinics, as on battlefields, the shield of family-like devotion is what allows humanity to endure against overwhelming odds.

The meaning of Sabeti’s words is that science and medicine, at their highest level, are not cold or mechanical pursuits. They are profoundly human endeavors, where intellect must be bound to love, and skill joined with compassion. To call her lab a family is not metaphor alone; it is truth. They eat together, labor together, rejoice in discovery, and mourn in loss. In this, we see that greatness arises not from solitary genius but from communal effort, where every voice, every pair of hands, every heart is indispensable.

The lesson for us is eternal: whatever work you undertake—be it in medicine, in craft, in service, or in life—devotion to those beside you is the key to endurance. Skill may falter, resources may dwindle, but trust multiplies strength. Respect transforms companions into allies, and connection turns struggle into triumph. In your own work, cultivate not only excellence in task, but loyalty and compassion toward those who labor with you. For the mightiest victories are never won alone.

Practical action flows from this teaching: treat your colleagues with honor, for their presence sustains you. In times of stress, speak with kindness; in times of success, share the glory. When faced with hardship, remember that bonds of solidarity are stronger than the forces of despair. Build a family wherever you labor, for in family there is resilience, and in resilience there is hope.

Thus, Sabeti’s words shine as both testimony and commandment: that the battle against plague, despair, and death itself is fought not only with science, but with connection, devotion, trust, and respect. Let us carry her wisdom into all our endeavors. For when we stand as family, united in purpose, even the deadliest of foes—whether disease, hardship, or sorrow—cannot overcome us.