Several years ago I had a disturbing dream that left me shaken after I awoke. Yet it’s a dream that has stayed with me.

I had gone for a walk through some wooded hills where others were hiking. I hadn’t strolled far when I spotted three animals running up the trail towards us. I climbed onto a fallen tree, but the tree was rotted and my weight caused the trunk to cave in and I crashed against the largest of the approaching animals—a giant horse. The horse kicked at me, but I was near its neck so began to stroke its mane and succeeded in calming it. The other two animals—a baby bear and a beaver—rambled past. All the hikers ran up the trail, afraid of the approaching beasts.

I moved past the animals and continued down the trail until I discovered an “Alice In Wonderland” playground nestled along the edge of the path. I thought of how I would inform my friends on Facebook about my discovery as I began to explore its premises. I climbed through the playhouse and slid down the slides, thinking that someday I would bring the children I cared for as a nanny to visit. Then I heard a young girl in the basement sandbox of the playhouse singing. Perplexed that she was there alone, I found her and asked about parents. She seemed unaware that they weren’t present and continued singing and playing, immersed in her own world. I had encountered a suspicious-looking man watching me when I was on the slide and was afraid to leave her playing alone. Before I could remove her, however, the man approached us, intent on the girl. I tried to stop him, but he said he would rape me and then her if I didn’t move. So I ran for help.

“So you are going to sacrifice this girl for your own freedom!” the man yelled after me, as I jogged up the hill.

The man was ugly and obese and I knew I could not succeed against him. I also thought that even if he raped me, it would likely not allow enough time for other adults to arrive to rescue the girl and then she would have witnessed the man harming me as well. I ran up the trail, yelling for parents to come to their daughter’s rescue. Three dads and a couple of moms came sprinting and we returned to the playhouse, flung open the door and found the man on top of the girl, just finishing.

The other adults exchanged angry words with the man, but he was smug and unapologetic.

“Look, I also work at Microsoft,” he said, attempting to form allegiance with another dad. The parents let the man go.

“This is not right!” I yelled. “We must report this to the justice system. We cannot allow this man to continue to prey on children like this!”

As the man sulked away, I pulled out my camera and began taking his photo, hoping that I could document his face to show authorities. The playground had noe become an amusement park where many families had come for recreation.

~

When I awoke and pondered the dream, I recognized that the man’s words to me express an attitude towards my life purpose. If I choose to simply enjoy my life and do nothing to prevent and expose exploitation of vulnerable girls, I am in fact sacrificing them for my freedom.