I microwaved some turkey sausage crumbles this evening and they immediately began to spark, the same way a coffee mug with a gold or silver design sparks. Dinner wasn’t off to the best start.

I wasn’t quite sure what was going on. It was…turkey. Frozen crumbles. Crumbles I’ve microwaved a thousand times before. As I saw my meat quickly descend into a fiery hell, I shrieked and opened the door to save them.

Some quick searching revealed that if I didn’t microwave a half-cup of crumbles in a very specific manner, sparking may occur. I didn’t need a half-cup of frozen meat bits, though. I only wanted, like, a tablespoon.

My solution? No, not more meat. I added some water to keep my scant amount from spontaneously combusting. Genius.

The sausage was a fitting reminder of the day. Sometimes we can take a bit of heat, while other times it seems that just a second of it can make sparks fly — and not the good kind.

Our head explodes without so much as a warning. Pupils dilate. Heart rate goes haywire.

Get some water on yourself. Splash it on your face, have someone throw a bucket of it on your person — do whatever it takes to snap out of it.

The heat and rage can singe, but water — both literal and those things or people in our lives which can refresh and protect — can soothe.

Find them.

Tonight I am thankful for the water in our lives that extinguishes the burn and renews our spirit, our order and our sense of calm.