--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm messing this up. I love you. I…" description: "\"“I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than anybody. I love you, Clare. I always did, but it'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg" --- # I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with… ![“I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than anybody. I love you, Clare. I always did, but it's different loving who you are now. It's so damn solid. You're so solid, so steady, strong, smart. I love who you are, how you are. I love those…” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg) > ““I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than anybody. I love you, Clare. I always did, but it's different loving who you are now. It's so damn solid. You're so solid, so steady, strong, smart. I love who you are, how you are. I love those boys, you have to know.”” [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator reflects on love’s complexity, confessing deep affection while acknowledging personal flaws and the solid, steady nature of the beloved. **In simple terms:** Love is deep, flawed, and steady. Key Takeaway Cherish steady love despite imperfections. Themes love relationship self‑reflection growth Mood reflective romantic Type advice emotional When to use this quote - romantic partnership - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts intimacy acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What does “solid” love mean to you? - How can you balance self‑critique with affection? A Different Perspective Love alone may not resolve deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-clare-2885893/) [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/) [Loving Damn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-damn-2829118/) [Messing Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messing-love-2885894/) [Smart Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-love-504068/) ## Related quotes > [“I know it. I feel it. I want it. Loving you is so damn easy that it terrifies me. Not loving you, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynetta-halat/i-know-it-i-feel-it-i-want-it-loving-you-is-so-damn-easy-that-it/) [Lynetta Halat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynetta-halat/) > [“There was hardly a touch of earth in her love for Clare. To her sublime trustfulness he was all that goodness could be—knew all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/there-was-hardly-a-touch-of-earth-in-her-love-for-clare-to-her/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Basically I'm saying here I can't live without my baby Loving you is so damn easy for me Ain't no need for contemplating Promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiara/basically-i-m-saying-here-i-can-t-live-without-my-baby-loving-you-is/) [Kiara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiara/) > [“they love their hair because they're not smart enough to love anything more interesting”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/they-love-their-hair-because-they-re-not-smart-enough-to-love-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think I'm smart, but love makes me look so stupid..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-i-m-smart-but-love-makes-me-look-so-stupid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love my lil cuzin so much he is o smart love you troy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiajohnson123/i-love-my-lil-cuzin-so-much-he-is-o-smart-love-you-troy/) [Shiajohnson123](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiajohnson123/) > [“How'd you get so smart about all this love stuff, anyway?" "I write fucking romance novels, sweetie. I'm making it up as I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-kincaid/how-d-you-get-so-smart-about-all-this-love-stuff-anyway-i-write/) [Kimberly Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-kincaid/) > [I don't care if u anit all that smart I still love you I don't care if u have bractlets u still look cute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-craighead/i-don-t-care-if-u-anit-all-that-smart-i-still-love-you-i-don-t-care/) [Mercedes Craighead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-craighead/) > [Loving a person is not based on the appearance , but it is based on how that person fills your heart with unexplained happiness .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-a-person-is-not-based-on-the-appearance-but-it-is-based-on-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [There's no ifs and buts or maybes, you're gonna miss, you're gonna miss my loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-rawls/there-s-no-ifs-and-buts-or-maybes-you-re-gonna-miss-you-re-gonna-miss/) [Lou Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-rawls/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [“I love you anyway, Lia," he calls after me. "Until time tells, I mean." I turn to him and smile, loving him more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/i-love-you-anyway-lia-he-calls-after-me-until-time-tells-i-mean-i/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [“But, you know, if you choose to be with someone you should feel good with them, otherwise it doesn't make sense... How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assia-petricelli/but-you-know-if-you-choose-to-be-with-someone-you-should-feel-good/) [Assia Petricelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assia-petricelli/) > [Loving you is the best feeling have ever had, and you loving me is the greater gift I have..I will be brave, I wont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fash/loving-you-is-the-best-feeling-have-ever-had-and-you-loving-me-is-the/) [Fash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fash/) ## More by Nora Roberts > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than anybody. I love you, Clare. I always did, but it's different loving who you are now. It's so damn solid. You're so solid, so steady, strong, smart. I love who you are, how you are. I love those boys, you have to know.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should-ve-started-with-that-i-swear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should-ve-started-with-that-i-swear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/nora-roberts-128_love_i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should_302405.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than…” — Nora Roberts", "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": "Nora Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I'm messing this up. I love...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should-ve-started-with-that-i-swear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-m-messing-this-up-i-love-you-i-should-ve-started-with-that-i-swear/#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 } } ] } ```