--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What mattered most was knowing that love…" description: "\"What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations.\" — Nicholas Sparks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg" --- # What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give… ![“What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations.” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg) > “What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations.” [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love is most valuable when given freely, without expecting anything in return. **In simple terms:** Give love without expecting anything back. Key Takeaway Offer love selflessly. Themes love generosity relationships Mood warm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - marriage - friendship - family gatherings - volunteering Key Concepts selfless giving unconditional love Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice unconditional love today? - What barriers stop you from giving freely? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can still influence actions despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mattered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered/) [Mattered Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered-knowing-2908374/) [Strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strings/) ## Related quotes > [In all my life, I'd never been as sure of anything, and as much as I hoped to one day hear Savannah say these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/in-all-my-life-i-d-never-been-as-sure-of-anything-and-as-much-as-i/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I have never felt that anything really mattered but knowing that you stood for the things in which you believed and had done the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-have-never-felt-that-anything-really-mattered-but-knowing-that-you/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [That's why I loved being with you. We could do the simplest things, like toss starfish into the ocean and share a burger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/that-s-why-i-loved-being-with-you-we-could-do-the-simplest-things/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [and in that instant, nothing else mattered. Not the song, not the place, not the other couples around him. Only this, only her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-that-instant-nothing-else-mattered-not-the-song-not-the-place/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Afraid to Die Loveless Because I think if you die without knowing love in this life, that's how you'll spend eternity. Alone. Frozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/afraid-to-die-loveless-because-i-think-if-you-die-without-knowing/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Knowing that you are nothing is Wisdom, Knowing that you are everything is Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/knowing-that-you-are-nothing-is-wisdom-knowing-that-you-are/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-knowing-i-am-nothing-love-is-knowing-i-am-everything-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations. Time and love are the most valuable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/true-generosity-is-an-offering-given-freely-and-out-of-pure-love-no/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [There is no pain like the pain of knowing you love someone but cannot live with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ndor-m-rai/there-is-no-pain-like-the-pain-of-knowing-you-love-someone-but-cannot/) [Sándor Márai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ndor-m-rai/) > [“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-love-you-without-knowing-how-or-when-or-from-where-i-love-you-2/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [One day we were brought into the world, knowing love only as being what we had for our toys, family, and friends. Then, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/one-day-we-were-brought-into-the-world-knowing-love-only-as-being/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) > [“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-without-knowing-how-or-when-or-from-where-i-love-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing is more tragic than loving someone to the depths of your soul and knowing they cannot and will not ever love you back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nothing-is-more-tragic-than-loving-someone-to-the-depths-of-your-soul/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The best part of living is not hoping that a person will love you as much as you do, but knowing that you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-part-of-living-is-not-hoping-that-a-person-will-love-you-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I keep thinking of how much I love you... the way you speak.. the way you talk to me and say all the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/i-keep-thinking-of-how-much-i-love-you-the-way-you-speak-the-way-you/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) ## More by Nicholas Sparks > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I'm sure you think that I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. It's just that sometimes, our future is dictated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-m-sure-you-think-that-i-don-t-understand-what-you-re-going-through/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“And in your smile, I will live forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-your-smile-i-will-live-forever/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [When we first met, I didn't want to get involved with anyone. I didn't have the time or energy, and I wasn't sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/when-we-first-met-i-didn-t-want-to-get-involved-with-anyone-i-didn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There is something terrible in the moments after waking up, when the subconscious knows that something terrible has happened but before all the memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-something-terrible-in-the-moments-after-waking-up-when-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There is nothing like love. You should try it.” Thibault shrugged. “Maybe one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-nothing-like-love-you-should-try-it-thibault-shrugged-maybe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“more time she’d spent with him, the more convinced she became that he was by far the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Who else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/more-time-she-d-spent-with-him-the-more-convinced-she-became-that-he/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, that way, we’ll be with each other all the time, even if we’re not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/dear-john-tell-me-everything-write-it-all-down-that-way-we-ll-be-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [You were spying on us?" "It was kind of hard not to. You were right there by the workshop with Will. it looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-were-spying-on-us-it-was-kind-of-hard-not-to-you-were-right-there/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't know. I really don't. While I was in the living room, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in life." She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-don-t-know-i-really-don-t-while-i-was-in-the-living-room-i-kept/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) [Explore all 1,309 Nicholas Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More Expectations quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I say this all the time: I've always been really good at managing my expectations so that I'm not let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-say-this-all-the-time-i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-managing-my/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Keeping up with everybody's expectation is soooo hard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/keeping-up-with-everybody-s-expectation-is-soooo-hard/) [Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We're wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/we-re-wired-to-expect-the-world-to-be-brighter-and-more-meaningful/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“Does your reality match your expectations? If not it's time to change either your expectations or your reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/does-your-reality-match-your-expectations-if-not-it-s-time-to-change/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/) [Tom Harpur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harpur/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/it-s-a-good-place-when-all-you-have-is-hope-and-not-expectations/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [When we give from a place of love, rather than from a place of expectation, more usually comes back to us than we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/when-we-give-from-a-place-of-love-rather-than-from-a-place-of/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Everybody out there watches the show and has expectations of wanting to be an 'Idol', but we're going to teach them how much hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bice/everybody-out-there-watches-the-show-and-has-expectations-of-wanting/) [Bo Bice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bice/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) [Browse all 4,210 Expectations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas Sparks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love-was-mine-to-give-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expectations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love-was-mine-to-give-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nicholas-sparks-93_expectations_what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love_3145319.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations.” — Nicholas Sparks", "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": "Nicholas Sparks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What mattered most was knowing that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love-was-mine-to-give-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-mattered-most-was-knowing-that-love-was-mine-to-give-without/#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 } } ] } ```