I had a long journey learning to express emotion because taught that it was only women that showed emotion, never men, except for anger, of course.Apparently, when I get that awkward confusion other people read it as being uncomfortable. I'm not uncomfortable, I just don't know what to say. My mom's habit of never showing any emotion and never crying in front of someone rubbed off on me, so it's something I never learned how to deal with, not as a comforter or comfortee.