They say everything happens for a reason.

On Tuesday, I was reminded of that as I headed toward Opp to cover the shooting excitement.

Earlier that morning, I finally made time to run by the car mechanics. After listening to my brakes go from scrubbing to full-on metal scratching in the matter of days, I knew I had to get them fixed before heading off on spring break with the girls. (Beach, here we come. Thank you, Jesus!)

I pulled up to the bay and told them my problem. It was a head-scratcher since I’d just gotten new brakes about four months ago. He drove it around the block, parked it and said, “Oh, yeah. You need new ones, bad.”

Luckily, I’d bought the lifetime brake pads, so all should be well, he said. A quick discussion later and it was decided that I’d drop my car off after lunch.

But, somehow, the day just got away from me, and before I knew it, it was 2 p.m. I wrestled with “Should I or should I wait?” I ultimately decided to wait.

From a news perspective, it was the right decision. Just after 2:30 p.m., the voice came across the scanner paging out Life Flight to Opp.

Details on the “who and how” weren’t given. We debated some in the office, not sure if we’d have time to get there; however, the voice soon came back on and said the bird was coming from Greenville. That meant plenty of time to get from here to Channell-Lee Stadium.

It also meant that I had plenty of time to get, in opinion, compelling photos of the events, but not new brakes for my car.

I was lucky that in this case it worked out to my advantage. There have been plenty of times that it hasn’t. Like once, when I forgot to get gas and was stranded on the side of the road after a chicken truck had overturned and crashed. Memories of the smell of dead chickens and manure is the only motivation I need to remember to never let the gas level get below a quarter of a tank.

Marilyn Monroe isn’t usually someone I turn to when looking for inspiration, but she did have this to say, and I think it sums up the day perfectly.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

Now, excuse me. I really must go get new brakes and some gas.