Many conversations with Mike in our current season of life are like ground beef: practical and necessary, but not the most exciting. Do you want to bathe the kids or do the dishes? Can you pick up milk on the way home? What’s this week looking like?

These kinds of conversations must be had, but they don’t really get anyone going. Don’t get me wrong – I love ground beef. Its low cost and flexibility make it a staple in my kitchen.

But after a while, I long for something different. I want more.

The conference was like a fine steak in a ground beef season. The content and speakers were great, but they alone weren’t what made the weekend so wonderful. Neither were the conversations we had as a couple.

It was the combination: truth, time, and the chance to talk about it.

Have you ever ordered the White Chocolate Brownie on Moxie’s dessert menu?

Picture an immense, warm white chocolate brownie hidden beneath two generous scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream, covered by swirls of whipped cream and trails of chocolate sauce. It’s as decadent as it sounds.

When you’re enjoying this dessert with friends, it’s fantastic. Multiple spoons divide and conquer, leaving your whetted appetite wanting more.

On your own, it’s a different story. The first few bites are delightful, but as your stomach runs out of room, the melting mound staring back at you becomes overwhelming. Maybe you’re the type to push past reason and down the thing because you’re no quitter. Or maybe you’re on the other end, and you surrender your spoon after only a few bites, and think no point.