Do YOU Listen To It?

We got home from Belize a week and a half ago and I noticed that my "air pressure warning light" was on in my car.  I kept putting it off.  I kept telling myself, "These tires are too expensive to NOT get this checked out.  In a Subaru, if one tire  has to be replaced, the ALL do. So get this checked out!"  But still, I didn't listen to my intuition and kept putting it off.  

Then the last couple of days when I started my car, it sounded "funny".  Like it was slow to start, but it started so I just thought it was my imagination (even though my gut was telling me "Get this checked out.") I didn't.

Today, thanks to the smokey valley, I drove Tracy to work again.  The car started slowly again, but Tracy didn't seem to notice, so I didn't worry about it.  After I dropped him off, I ran to the bank.  I ran 2 more errands. Each time, I had to turn my car off and turn it back on and it was starting.  The air pressure light was still on.  I was driving home, and I passed Les Schwab.  Now there is NO REASON to NOT stop and get my tires checked.  I pass by this place several times a day.  It is FREE and its quick.  This morning, I passed it again.  But this time, I LISTENED.  "Get your tires checked NOW!  Turn around and do it NOW!"  Okay, okay, I said!  And I turned around and went to visit the good people of Les Schwab. 

I pulled in behind the car in bay 1.  I turned off my car.  The nice young man checked the air in my tires for me and it was time to go.  I put the keys back in the ignition, turned the starter..."Click."  Uhhhh.  I tried again.  "Click."  No Bueno.  I told the guy that my car wouldn't start.  He listened to it and agreed to check the battery.  Yup, it was pretty much dead.  Time for a new battery.  $95 later, I have a new battery and my car is running again AND my tires are back to normal pressure.  

I am really grateful that this happened today while I was sitting just outside the bay of their garage.  I'm REALLY grateful I listened to that inner voice that was shouting at me today.  This could have been so much worse.  Here is what COULD have happened....

I'm a trail runner.  I SHOULD have been out running today.  But I rolled my ankle on Monday. Even though it is feeling a bit better, I thought I would give it another day and just ride my bike.  My original plan was to drop Tracy off at work and then go straight to the greenbelt to ride my bike.  But this morning, something inside told me, "No.  Get the running around done FIRST, then ride your bike around the neighborhood."  Okay.  My plans changed.  Had I not rolled my ankle, had I not listened to my intuition telling me to change my plans this morning, my car could have died miles up into the foothills with no cell coverage!  It could have died near the greenbelt where I had coverage but was miles away from a place to get my car worked on.  So yes... everything happens for a reason and I'm totally glad I LISTENED.

Do YOU listen?