I Believe in Awkward Moments
I believe in awkward situations. The eyeball staring, pit stain creating, train-wreck of a situation that is awkward. We all love them, whether or not we admit it. The exact moment when what is the norm takes a turn for the worst, and everyone involved has that joined sense of being uncomfortable; that is the type of moment that I thrive off of.
I believe in schadenfreude. The feeling of getting satisfaction from watching other’s experience misfortune. There is pure joy in viewing an awkward situation. Knowing that the people involved want to escape so badly, but can’t. Knowing that both parties are looking so hard for something to take their attention away, but they’re stranded. Knowing that they would do anything in their power to go back in time and avoid this, but it’s impossible. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what I love.
I believe, even more, in awkward situations that involve people you care about. The opportunity to take a few moments to enjoy their discomfort brings a big smile to my face. Two years ago, my mother and I were in an elevator in an office building. A woman joined us in the elevator, and my mother, who was trying to be friendly, engaged her in conversation. After my mom’s first question, I noticed the woman had a look of disgust. I then realized that my mom had asked this slightly overweight woman when her due date was. Looking at the floor buttons, and I saw that for the next twenty-five floors, we would all be packed in that little box. The trip up those twenty-five floors is something I will never forget, and like to remind my mother about often. It was so awkward.
The pure, and real moments like those, the awkward moments that bring out a person’s true reactions, those are things I deeply believe in.
