Who packs YOUR parachute?
Who packs YOUR parachute?
Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane as 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 man 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.
Inspiring
Indeed, Sulie, keep trying never give up :)
bb,,sakiv171 thanks :)
Joe,, Don't give up,, find another one :p
either your post,llr,thelo post which are some time really good like this one where I can't stop my self.
And some are very funny lungi times one like one lungi time guy asking two days before what are hr assistant duty I've interview for this.
lol good one keep it up.
Nice one,,,
After reading this, i said "thank u" to our office boy, but he was looking at me with furious eyes, oh damn it's not working with me,so back to normal ... :P
good one...
I know suli , they should be part in everything. By the way I want wearing parachute in riding airplane, my nerves keep tingling until the plane lands but if I wear one , I will have no fear. Just wear it.
LLR ,, It is yours :O)
cracydutch ,, Good that at least you know who packs it
You are ready for the next move :)
Zafirah ,, I agree 100%
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” - JFK
1.in daily live-my spouse packs my shute
2.offroading-my copilot or other cars in the group pack my shute
3.at work-my fellow engineers pack my shute
Truly inspiring.. Allow me to copy. Thanks a million. :)
cracydutch,, u r welcome :)
Alex,, The story could be Allegorical, it means that you have to admire the efforts of the people who are trying to make your life easier.
Unknown Soldiers, Your Assistant, the employees that work under you, Maybe the Tea boy.
Cheers!
I'm sorry suli I am not a pilot and dont fly a plane . And airline companies wont allow us to bring one parachute upon riding a plane back home , incase the plane will crash we should be safe but it wont. No one prepares my parachute incase. Well the story is nice thanks for sharing it.
good piece,.like it
GG ,, I think you are a kind of people who admires the parachute's packers :)
Good Reminder...TFS Sulie..:)