WHO PACKED YOUR PARACHUTE AND DO YOU PACK PARACHUTES????????????
 > >> > > > Charles 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.




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