--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say love gets fouled by a…" description: "\"“People say love gets fouled by a difference big as ours. I didn’t know for sure whether Miss Sarah’s feelings came from love or guilt. I didn’t know w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/sue-monk-kidd-404_love_people-say-love-gets-fouled-by-a-differe_2124118.png" --- # People say love gets fouled by a difference big as ours. I… ![“People say love gets fouled by a difference big as ours. I didn’t know for sure whether Miss Sarah’s feelings came from love or guilt. I didn’t know whether mine came from love or a need to be safe. She loved me and pitied me. And I loved her and used her. It never was a simple thing. That day…” quote by Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/sue-monk-kidd-404_love_people-say-love-gets-fouled-by-a-differe_2124118.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/sue-monk-kidd-404_love_people-say-love-gets-fouled-by-a-differe_2124118.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/sue-monk-kidd-404_love_people-say-love-gets-fouled-by-a-differe_2124118.png) > ““People say love gets fouled by a difference big as ours. I didn’t know for sure whether Miss Sarah’s feelings came from love or guilt. I didn’t know whether mine came from love or a need to be safe. She loved me and pitied me. And I loved her and used her. It never was a simple thing. That day, our hearts were pure as they ever would get.”” [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote explores how love can be tangled with guilt, pity, and self‑preservation, making relationships complex and ambiguous. **In simple terms:** Love mixes with guilt and need for safety, creating complexity. Key Takeaway Recognize and untangle mixed motives in relationships. Themes love guilt dependency complexity self‑preservation Mood reflective melancholy Type literary emotional When to use this quote - romantic relationships - family dynamics - friendships - caregiver‑care recipient interactions Key Concepts emotional ambiguity psychology of attachment Questions to Reflect On - What motives drive your affection? - How can you differentiate love from guilt? A Different Perspective Love can be conflated with selfish motives, obscuring genuine affection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“She laid the book down and came where I was standing by the chimney place and put her arms round me. 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