Last night had I had such vivid dreams I’m still pondering them.

One involved a long journey through a long and freezing cold river – which I navigated, alternately, by swimming and running across ice before finally reaching a land mass where I was promptly rescued via helicopter by an outspoken kidnapping survivor and advocate for women’s rights whose face was such an immense comfort to me I was willing to drop back to the ground temporarily when the wire to which I was clinging approached a power line, knowing that she would ensure I would be retrieved. And I was. After my rescue, I attended a celebratory party I could hardly force myself to leave, so encouraging and heavenly was the feeling of being surrounded by people who I felt – in contrast to so many media stars today – genuinely cared about mankind and, therefore, my well-being. I sat down and worked on a puzzle that was peculiar for the way its pieces – rather than having been cut with precision from some sort of rigid cardboard or wood – were made of pliable, clay-like material and were so few in number it hardly looked like they could fill the puzzle’s extents. To me, this felt like a hint at the way God’s grace can mold any of our lives to work in His plan, but that there do seem to need to be more people who give their lives over to Him, and do so more wholeheartedly, working on the condition of their respective hearts and taking action in the world when needed.

Later, I dreamed I had a roommate who, after I’d prepared a cup of tea for myself just the way I wanted it, spilled this onto the floor on purpose for seemingly no other purpose than to cause agitation. Angry, I retreated to another room and prayed about what to do, having expected the answer would be to confront this person but feeling specifically guided to refrain from doing so. Why? I wondered. This is so unfair. Certainly I should say something. But I did not feel I had permission to proceed and forced myself to obey.

Then I woke up.

I should have known, of course. Nothing good comes of anger and, while I’m trying to do a better job of doing a heart check before taking action generally (I need to get better about this), I believe it’s true that anytime one is behaving out of a feeling of being “triggered,” or, emotionally comprimised, whatever moves they make, while redeemable, seem to be unadvisable in the moment.

I recognize it is no longer en vogue to say that anything but physical violence has left one feeling unsafe, but I’ve been working through feelings, lately, of feeling unsafe anytime I see a reference to one or another TV news anchor who’s seemed so intent on preventing the women’s movement in corporate journalism from being healed fully. How is it that these are some of the world’s most prominent voices?, I wonder.

But I’ve felt reminded lately of guidance I heard years ago from a preacher I love who recommended watching a television personality on mute before deciding whether or not to listen to what they have to say. If they are enraged, for example, it’s most important to listen to one’s heart, but it may be wise simply to tune out in favor of calmer messages.

I’m so grateful for my dream-reminder of how essential it is to remember how distorting emotions can be to my judgment but, too, for affirmation of where I feel most comfortable turning for human connection – perhaps for the same reason.