Parachute

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam and one of the original “Top Guns”. He flew 74 successful combat missions but on his 75th mission, just five days before the end of his tour, he was shot down over Hanoi. He ejected and parachuted… into enemy hands. Plumb was taken prisoner, tortured, and spent the next 2,103 days in North Vietnamese Prisoner of War camps. He feels blessed to have 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.

"l packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "l am so glad that it worked!” Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If the ‘chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. "l kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform with a white hat, a bib in the back and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him, walked right past and not even said ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you?’ or anything at all because I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours that sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the lowest deck of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of every chute; each time holding in his hands 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. 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 to survive the 6 long years being held prisoner.

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, phone a friend going through a tough time, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize the many people who pack your parachutes.

We are sharing this as our way of thanking you for your part in packing our parachutes and we hope you will send it on to those who have helped pack yours!

November 13th is World Kindness Day - a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, yourself and the world. Compassion for others is what binds us together and is a theme that runs throughout all of the great traditions. From the Christian Golden Rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12) to one of the core commandments of Judaism’s "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). This day serves as a gentle reminder to practice, compassion, patience and acceptance of others. However, it is also important to remember to give yourself a little kindness too! Hush the self doubt. Quiet the fear and anxiety of your inner critic. Acknowledge that you are doing your best and you are beautiful and perfect exactly as you are! You are worthy of love, kindness and protection - with the help of a parachute or “a little help from your friends”.