Feeling Uncomfortable

un·com·fort·a·ble  

/ˌənˈkəmfərtəbəl/

Adjective Causing or feeling slight pain or physical discomfort. Causing or feeling unease or awkwardness.

Synonyms uneasy - inconvenient - incommodious - awkward

Today's theme for the Blog Every Day in May challenge is to tell you about something that makes us uncomfortable.  Now being a Leo, I love being the center of attention (hence the desire when I was younger to be a radio DJ) so there isn't much that phases me.  Public speaking?  Sure!  Karaoke sober?  No problem!  (Though it may be for the poor audience!)  Even things that make other people squeamish or blush- blood, nudity, sex, bathroom matters- I can handle!  

So what makes this normally fearless girl stare at her feet and wish she were somewhere else?  Conversations about illness and death.  Especially when speaking with a loved one of the sick or deceased.  I like to think that I am a caring, compassionate, and if not eloquent then at least verbose person.  I almost always have something to say!  I offer opinions to family freely.  I posses no shortness of advice for friends.  I converse easily with strangers.  Yet when presented with a situation where either illness or death are involved I am suddenly at a loss for words.  I have no idea what to say to someone who is facing something so serious or sad.  My coping mechanism is humor, and it's not always appropriate.  I usually will mumble some cliche words of comfort, avoid eye contact, and change the subject as soon as I can.  It does not mean I don't care.  It does not mean I don't hurt for you.  It does not mean that I don't want to help.  It's just that I am afraid- to say the wrong thing, to be insensitive, to upset you. 

I'm sure I'm not the only human being on the planet who finds these situations uncomfortable.  How about you?  What makes YOU uncomfortable?

{hugs}
Regan