In this excerpt from "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews, the narrator describes a sudden intense feeling of longing or emotional pain that strikes unexpectedly. It could be triggered by a simple sensory detail like light, dust, or sounds from the neighborhood, but it leaves a profound impact, making the narrator feel as though they are dying or about to pass out, similar to the shock of being shot.

"It was such a surprise, but not a very good one. And then it went away. The way it does. But it exhausted me, like a seizure." This highlights the fleeting yet overwhelming nature of the emotional experience, leaving the narrator drained. The passage captures the depth of sudden emotional vulnerability and its physical toll.