--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only when we give joyfully, without…" description: "\"Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.\" — Leo Buscaglia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png" --- # Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought… ![“Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.” quote by Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png) > “Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.” [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True understanding of love comes from giving selflessly, without expecting anything in return. **In simple terms:** Love is known by giving freely. Key Takeaway Give without expectation. Themes love selflessness gratitude Mood warm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - relationships - charity - community service Key Concepts Altruism emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you give without expecting anything? - What does selfless giving teach you about love? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can cloud genuine generosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hesitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hesitation/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Joyfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyfully/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [True love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-love/) [Unconditional love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconditional-love/) ## Related quotes > [Who can know what love means at the feet of the absolute truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/who-can-know-what-love-means-at-the-feet-of-the-absolute-truth/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“I don’t think that I’ve been in love as such Although I liked a few folk pretty well Love must be vaster than my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-don-t-think-that-i-ve-been-in-love-as-such-although-i-liked-a-few/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think that people feel they know what love means, it's probably one of the most used words in the world but has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/i-think-that-people-feel-they-know-what-love-means-it-s-probably-one/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [You show me how truly love means u make me think if this is real. When u say those last three words I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-show-me-how-truly-love-means-u-make-me-think-if-this-is-real-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's love. That's all it means. It means sharing joy with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/that-s-love-that-s-all-it-means-it-means-sharing-joy-with-people/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Participate joyfully in the sorrows of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/participate-joyfully-in-the-sorrows-of-life/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [By your own efforts waken yourself, watch yourself. And live joyfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/by-your-own-efforts-waken-yourself-watch-yourself-and-live-joyfully/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Joyfully we undertake our daily work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/joyfully-we-undertake-our-daily-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Vivez joyeux” was the old saying. “Live joyfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/vivez-joyeux-was-the-old-saying-live-joyfully/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Get in over your head as often and as joyfully as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-isley/get-in-over-your-head-as-often-and-as-joyfully-as-possible/) [Alexander Isley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-isley/) > [I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-howard-shaw/i-wake-up-every-morning-with-a-great-desire-to-live-joyfully/) [Anna Howard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-howard-shaw/) > [If you are single, eliminate the thought that something is lacking, and just live each day joyfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lockwood-huie/if-you-are-single-eliminate-the-thought-that-something-is-lacking-and/) [Jonathan Lockwood Huie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lockwood-huie/) > [Put God first in your life, and you will live joyfully!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-vidal/put-god-first-in-your-life-and-you-will-live-joyfully/) [Lisa Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-vidal/) > [Live joyfully, without desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/live-joyfully-without-desire/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Everything I want to do, and to accomplish, is on the other side of the universe. That's peace of mind, energy, freedom. And I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-havens/everything-i-want-to-do-and-to-accomplish-is-on-the-other-side-of-the/) [Richie Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-havens/) ## More by Leo Buscaglia > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-is-a-great-and-wondrous-mystery-and-the-only-thing-we-know-that/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love creates an "us" without destroying the "me".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-creates-an-us-without-destroying-the-me/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love always creates, it never destroys. In this lie's man's only promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-always-creates-it-never-destroys-in-this-lie-s-man-s-only-promise/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-lived-for-tomorrow-will-always-be-just-a-day-away-from-being/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love revels in and grows in the moment and the joy of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-revels-in-and-grows-in-the-moment-and-the-joy-of-the-moment/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [In life and in love, there is only that moment, the NOW. The only reality we know is what we experience this very second.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/in-life-and-in-love-there-is-only-that-moment-the-now-the-only/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Biologically and physiologically, we are not equal. Some of us learn better at different times of day. Some learn best visually, some auditorially, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/biologically-and-physiologically-we-are-not-equal-some-of-us-learn/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [There is nothing wrong with making mistakes and not having all the answers, so long as we are willing to admit this and strive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-making-mistakes-and-not-having-all-the/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Food is celebratory. People who don't cook don't know how much fun they're missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/food-is-celebratory-people-who-don-t-cook-don-t-know-how-much-fun/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Based on a string of bad breakups, I was forced to examine my choice of partners. Surely, that must have abolished me from any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/based-on-a-string-of-bad-breakups-i-was-forced-to-examine-my-choice/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Everybody needs a hug. It changes your metabolism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/everybody-needs-a-hug-it-changes-your-metabolism/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Hugs make you feel psychologically more secure and together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/hugs-make-you-feel-psychologically-more-secure-and-together/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [I will love you if you are stupid, if you slip and fall on your face, if you do the wrong thing, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/i-will-love-you-if-you-are-stupid-if-you-slip-and-fall-on-your-face/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) [Explore all 258 Leo Buscaglia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## More Gains quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people enjoy taking a light stroll in the morning and that gives them relief and that sort of feeling. That is what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/some-people-enjoy-taking-a-light-stroll-in-the-morning-and-that-gives/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [How you educate the people around you, what steps you take toward making it better, what sacrifices you make. The equation of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hawkins/how-you-educate-the-people-around-you-what-steps-you-take-toward/) [Andrew Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hawkins/) Browse all 3,001 Gains quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Buscaglia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesitation-or-thought-of-gain-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gains" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesitation-or-thought-of-gain-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/leo-buscaglia-1308_gains_only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesit_933409.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.” — Leo Buscaglia", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Buscaglia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only when we give joyfully, without...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesitation-or-thought-of-gain-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/only-when-we-give-joyfully-without-hesitation-or-thought-of-gain-can/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```