When the real thing almost came out

“You and your partner are at a backyard barbecue at a friend's place — good food, easy afternoon, people spread out in small clusters. At some point you end up alone together at a picnic table while everyone else drifts toward the grill. Out of nowhere you find yourself starting to tell them something you haven't told anyone: that you've been feeling genuinely lost about your career lately, not just stressed but hollow, like you're not sure you ever wanted the thing you've been working toward. You get the first sentence out and then stop, because you can hear how heavy it sounds, and you're suddenly aware that this is a backyard barbecue.”