What does it mean to give without expecting something back in return?

Rabia spent her life loving without keeping score. Not because she was selfless in some impossible way—but because she understood something we usually get backwards: the moment you're waiting for payment, you've already been paid the wrong way. You've turned a gift into a trade. Pure devotion means your yes comes first, and whatever follows is what follows. This isn't about being used. It's about offering without the invisible contract. Most of us were trained young to believe everything is a transaction: I do this, you owe me that. But Rabia knew that love operates on a different economy. When you release the grip—when you help without scorekeeping, show up without expectation, listen without needing to be thanked—something shifts. Not magically. Practically. You stop burning energy on resentment. You stop testing whether you're valued enough. You're free. Start small: one conversation where you listen without planning your response. One help offered without mentioning it later. Notice what happens. Not to them—to you.