How do I build genuine community when everyone seems transactional?

Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that real belonging begins when you stop counting. Not in a naive way—she was clear-eyed about people. But she loved without keeping score, and that changed everything around her. Start small. Notice who shows up when nothing's in it for them. Be that person first. Ask someone how they're actually doing and listen for the answer beneath the answer. Share something real—a struggle, not a highlight. Stop waiting for permission to care. Communities don't form when everyone's waiting to be impressed or to gain something; they crystallize when one person decides their presence matters more than their profit. You don't need everyone. You need people who get this too. Look for them. Be obvious about it. The paradox Rabia lived: the moment you stop needing community to serve you, you become the kind of person communities naturally form around. Your reciprocity becomes the foundation, not the transaction.