What should I teach my child about love, belonging and purpose in life?

Rabia's life wasn't about teaching doctrine. It was about living it. So start there: your child learns belonging by experiencing it with you, not by hearing about it. Show them what it looks like to love something bigger than yourself—a community, a craft, a cause—without needing it to return the favor. Teach purpose by letting them see you live purposefully, even imperfectly. Talk about why your choices matter, not just what you do. Let them witness you loving people who can't give back. Let them see you fail and try again. On love specifically: help them understand that real love isn't about possession or performance. It's about seeing someone fully and choosing them anyway. This contradicts everything consumer culture teaches. So you'll need to model it repeatedly—in how you listen, how you forgive, how you show up when it's inconvenient. Don't shield them from loss. That's where they'll learn that love's value isn't determined by its permanence. The greatest gift isn't teaching them *what* to believe. It's showing them what it looks like to live as though something matters more than comfort.