Who packed your parachute

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< Plumb was a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam.> > > > >After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed> > > > >by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and> > > > >parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured> > > > >and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison.> > > > >He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons> > > > >learned from that experience.> > > > >> > > > >One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting> > > > >in a restaurant, a man at another table came up> > > > >and said, "You're Plumb! You> > flew jet fighters in> > > > >Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk.> > > > >You were shot down!"> > > > >> > > > >"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.> > > > >> > > > >"I packed your parachute," the man replied.> > > > >> > > > >Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.> > > > >> > > > >The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"> > > > >Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't> > > > >worked, I wouldn't be here today."> > > > >> > > > >Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man.> > > > >Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he might have looked> > > > >like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back,> > > > >and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I> > > > >might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning,> > > > >how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a> > > > >fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."> > > > >> > > > >Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent> > > > >on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship,> > > > >carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks> > > > >of each chute, holding in his hands each time> > > > >the fate of someone he didn't know.> > > > >> > > > >Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing> > > > >your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides> > > > >what they need to make it through the day. Plumb> > > > >also points out that he needed many kinds of> > > > >parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy> > > > >territory-he needed his physical parachute, his mental> > > > >parachute, his emotional parachute, and his> > > > >spiritual parachute. He called on all these> > > > >supports before reaching safety.> > > > >> > > > >Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us,> > > > >we miss what is really important. We may fail to> > > > >say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate> > > > >someone on something wonderful that has happened> > > > >to them, give a compliment, or just do something> > > > >nice for no reason.> > > > >> > > > >As you go through this week, this month, this year,> > > > >recognize people who pack your parachute. I am sending> > > > >you this as my way of thanking you for your part in packing> > > > >my parachute !!! And I hope you will send it on to> > > > >those who have helped pack yours!> > > > >> > > > >Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to> > > > >us without writing a word, maybe this could explain:> > > > >> > > > >When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch,> > > > >guess what you do - --you forward jokes.> > > > >> > > > >And to let you know that you are still remembered, you are> > > > >still important, you are still loved, you are still cared> > > > >for, guess what you get ? --- A forwarded joke.> > > > >> > > > >So my friend, next time if you get a joke, don't think that you've> > > > >been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been> > > > >thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer> > > > >wanted to send you a smile.> > > > >> > > > >Have a wonderful New Year, >>