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SHORT STORY… Charles Plumb was a bomber pilot in the Vietnam war. After many combat missions, his plane was downed by a missile. Plumb ejected from his plane and landed safely with his parachute. He was promptly captured and spent six years in a Viet Cong jail. Upon his return to the United States he became a motivational speaker, retelling his odyssey and the lessons that he learned while in captivity.

One day a man said hello to him while he was in a restaurant, saying: Hey, youre Charles Plumb, you were a pilot in Vietnam and were shot down, right?. Plumb, a little surprised, asked in reply: And how do you know all of this? The stranger replied: Because Im the one that packed your parachute. It worked, didnt it? Plumb nearly choked from the surprise and gratefully answered: Of course it worked! If it hadnt worked I wouldnt be here today.

Later that night, Plumb could not sleep as he thought: How many times did I see that kid on the aircraft carrier and I never even said hello to him? I was a hotshot pilot and was a humble sailor. He also thought about the long hours that the sailor spent in the bowels of the ship disentangling the silk threads of each parachute, holding in his hands the life of someone that he did not know.

Plumb now begins his presentations by asking the audience: Who packed your parachute today? We all have someone whose job is crucial to our success. One needs many parachutes each day: a physical parachute, an emotional parachute, a mental parachute, and a spiritual parachute.

Sometimes, in the midst of lifes daily challenges, we lose sight of what is truly important and of the people that will save us without our asking for their help. We forget to say hello, to give thanks, to congratulate, or even to say something pleasant just for the sake of it.

Today, this week, this year, each day, try to notice who packs your parachute and be grateful to that person. Even if you dont have anything important to say, send this message to someone who may have packed that parachute at some point in the past. Also, send it to those who have not yet packed it for you.

Those around you will appreciate the gesture and they will return your kindness by packing your parachute with equal affection. We all need of each other, we should show our mutual appreciation.

Sometimes the most important things in life only require a simple gesture; a phone call, a smile, a thank you, an I love you. Thanks for all the favors that you have done for me without my being deserving of them, and for which I never showed gratitude. Have a great day!