Message-ID: <16352761.1075860844196.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 12:01:12 -0800 (PST) From: ricex@swbell.net To: ricex@swbell.net Subject: FW: Fw: Packing My Parachute Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: ricex @ENRON X-To: ricex@swbell.net X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Kenneth_Lay_Mar2002\Lay, Kenneth\Inbox X-Origin: Lay-K X-FileName: klay (Non-Privileged).pst This story reminds me of my thoughts about the delivery guy in the elevator at our last meeting--and our sensitivity to the "common" man. Thanks for packing one of my chutes..... Kirwin Drouet Pennzoil Place--South Tower 711 Louisiana, Suite 1740 Houston, TX 77002 713-223-5800 713-223-5049fax > > > > > Subject: Packing My Parachute > > > > > > Charles Plumb, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a 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 even 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! > > > > > > Have a wonderful day my friend! > > > > > > May God smile upon you. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com