Charles Plumb was a US 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 had 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 at 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 he or
she needs to make it through the day. He 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
parachutes.
From India, Delhi
2missions, 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 had 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 at 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 he or
she needs to make it through the day. He 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
parachutes.
From India, Delhi
What an excellent story to think about. Sometimes we know who is packing the parachute, but often they are invisible. The other thought that occurs to me is that we never know who will be "packing the chute" in the future or when the parachute may be needed.
I firmly believe that we should treat everybody with respect at all times, however this story gives one more good reason to do so!
From Australia, Ballarat
I firmly believe that we should treat everybody with respect at all times, however this story gives one more good reason to do so!
From Australia, Ballarat
Thinking more about your story, I am reminded about a boy I knew at school. His name was Peter and he was the victim of constant teasing and bullying from the rougher boys at school. When I think back, I can't understand why he would have been picked on so much other than the fact he looked a little different. Peter had red hair and freckles, and although he was a little shorter than avaerage, wasn't small by any means. He was a very quiet lad, conscientious with school work but very low profile. Over time he formed friendships with others who were also "picked on" and tormented by the school bullies.
I remember once when someone threw Peter's bag out on a ledge on the second floor of the high school building. They wouldn't go out and get it for him, so he had to climb out the window and balance on a very precarious grating to reach the bag. While he was out the bully locked the window to force him to stay on the ledge. I still remember seeing him cry (for the first time) when he found himself trapped outside. When the teacher arrived in the room, he disciplined Peter for being out on the ledge.
Anyway, years later I was working in a community child care centre and many of the students from my school were now parents using the centre. One of the school bullies was one of them. What a great day it was when they were complaining to me that the bank had not approved their home loan and were putting pressure on them to settle an outstanding personal loan. Who was the bank manager? You guessed it - Peter.
The bullies would have done everyone more good by packing a few parachutes instead of missiles!
As for Peter, he somehow managed to make his way through the torment of his school years, get his qualifications and succeed in the business world. I'm sure those early years and the humiliation still haunt him at times, but in the end he had the last laugh.
From Australia, Ballarat
I remember once when someone threw Peter's bag out on a ledge on the second floor of the high school building. They wouldn't go out and get it for him, so he had to climb out the window and balance on a very precarious grating to reach the bag. While he was out the bully locked the window to force him to stay on the ledge. I still remember seeing him cry (for the first time) when he found himself trapped outside. When the teacher arrived in the room, he disciplined Peter for being out on the ledge.
Anyway, years later I was working in a community child care centre and many of the students from my school were now parents using the centre. One of the school bullies was one of them. What a great day it was when they were complaining to me that the bank had not approved their home loan and were putting pressure on them to settle an outstanding personal loan. Who was the bank manager? You guessed it - Peter.
The bullies would have done everyone more good by packing a few parachutes instead of missiles!
As for Peter, he somehow managed to make his way through the torment of his school years, get his qualifications and succeed in the business world. I'm sure those early years and the humiliation still haunt him at times, but in the end he had the last laugh.
From Australia, Ballarat
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