I recently received an email story, author unknown, titled, Your Parachute. It was about a U.S. Navy jet pilot, Charles Plumb, who was shot down after 76 combat missions and spent 6 years in a Vietnamese prison. He had to overcome numerous obstacles but he survived his ordeal.

One day Plumb ran into a man who recognized him saying he was the sailor who had packed Plumb’s parachute that fateful day. The man told Plumb that he was delighted to know that the parachute he had packed had worked and was glad it had saved him when he had been shot down.

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about this man, wondering how many times he may have seen him and ignored him. Never bothering to say hello simply because Plumb was a “fighter pilot” and this man “just a sailor.” This man had spent many hours below deck, carefully and laboriously packing parachutes, holding the lives of many men - including Plumb’s - in his hands.

Why am I sharing this story with you? Each day we need to spend time packing our own parachutes so that we are prepared when unseen obstacles come our way.

What does this mean? We need to take time to nurture our bodies and souls to ensure that we are always in peak working condition both physically and mentally. We need to take time to nurture others that are facing their own obstacles, however large or small, as we move along our own journey. And, we need to take time to nurture and build relationships with those people who we can trust to provide the support we need along the way.

What we most need to do is pack small parachutes everyday. You do this by acknowledging and recognizing those people around you by taking time to say hello, how are you, please, thank you, have a nice day, congratulations, sorry, feel better, and whatever other words or actions that a person may require from you to get through the day.

Next time things get tough and you are facing challenges you feel you can’t overcome, take out your parachute, pull the cord and watch your parachute unfold. If you’ve done your part, you shouldn’t have to ask, “Who packed my parachute?”

Regina Barr is a business consultant with a passion for helping companies develop their full potential by focusing on their most valuable asset: their people. For more information on her programs and services, check out her website, http://www.RedLadder.com and sign up for her free email newsletter, Developing People...Inspiring Success.

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