What's in a Relationship?

It has been observed that everybody engages in a relationship with some kind of expectation be it among friends, colleagues, acquaintances, relatives, or even within the close families. As long as we expect love and empathy from one another without any added strings... relationships function smoothly. However, when people have hidden strings attached to the expectations like fulfilling of personal goals, financial gains or motives, expecting other benefits out of a relationship it becomes easily exposed spoiling the essence of that relationship...

Apostle Paul exhorts us on this point by saying
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another [Rom 13:8 (NLT)]

If we learn to love one another without expecting anything in return except for love...life and relationships would be much easier. Yet not all realize and practice this simple life lesson.

So what would you do if you have loved someone selflessly and that the person at the receiving end has not acknowledged or accepted that love and has failed to reciprocate in return...There is a lesson to learn. We cannot pour buckets of water in the dessert and expect to turn it into an oasis. Instead of giving love to someone who doesn't know the value of it...it is ideal to give to those who knows how to value it and reciprocate equally.

I would like to refer to a quote from Everyday Life Lessons by Angel Chernoff:
Without communication there is no relationship; without respect there is no love; without trust there’s no reason to continue.