The Burden of Feeling, The Burden of Having to Feel

Every night, I find myself asking: Have I truly lived today, or did I just go through the motions? This constant question weighs heavily on my mind, like the burden of having to feel. Life seems to demand that we experience emotions—happiness, sadness, anxiety—but these feelings often become more of a duty than a true experience. Memories add another layer to this weight, reminding us of past moments when we might have felt something real, or perhaps just pretended to. The fear of the future compounds this, as we worry about what lies ahead and whether we will ever truly live those moments or simply let them pass by unnoticed. The burden feels endless, a cycle that never breaks. But what if, instead of seeing our emotions as burdens to bear, we embraced them as integral parts of our lives? What if we allowed ourselves to truly live each emotion, each moment, instead of merely carrying the weight of having to feel? Perhaps, in doing so, we would find some relief, a way to live without the constant pressure of fulfilling this emotional duty. Life’s purpose, then, is not to carry burdens, but to experience fully, to live authentically. Maybe, just maybe, this is the way we learn to truly live.