Do You Really FEEL What You Think You Feel?

I'm reading a book by Kim McMillen and her daughter Alison McMillen. It's called "When I Love Myself Enough." It's essentially a compilation of little notes left by a mother to her daughter. So Alison, the daughter, decided to make a book of it.

This note made me think:
"When I loved myself enough I started feeling all my feelings, not analysing them- really feeling them."

I wondered, do I do that? Do I actually experience the feelings I think of or do I just sit there and think about them; wishing them to happen? It's a tricky question. I can honestly say that I can only count with one hand when I was actually truly happy that I FELT it radiating from my inner self. I sometimes think, this should make you happy so you're happy. Right? Wrong.

What would happen if we really felt angry about the genocide in Darfur? What would happen if we really felt compassion for people in need? What would happen if I really felt what I thought I felt and acted upon my feelings?

Thus, I can say I am guilty of not really feeling what I think I feel. I think I shy away from really being moved by these feelings because I am afraid of the outcome that might arise from doing so. I'm afraid of the inevitable actions that must be taken if I really did.

And then comes the question.... What are you afraid of? And why?

I`ll need to think about that one for a bit....