It can have multiple meanings, but the primary one I was thinking of was someone trying to be perfect for someone they're in a relationship with in every way they know how, and being frustrated because the other person is angry so much and isn't responding the way they want. This isn't about an abusive or horrible relationship, even though it might kinda sound like it. It's more about two normal people, people like I've seen plenty of times, one of whom (I'll assume it's a male for my explanation) is dissatisfied with life and therefore grumpy, and the other (assuming female for the example -- the one talking) is trying to find everything they need in that dissatisfied person, and being frustrated by it.
I'm tiptoeing
Trying not to make a sound
It might be too loud
Or maybe you want me to talk now?
She's tiptoeing around, trying to do everything right, afraid of making him person upset. She feels like anything she does could set him off, so she's basically trying to not exist. Or maybe he wants her to talk now? The uncertainty of how to please him is miserable.
I'm terified
Even though you won't hurt me
But your words might sting
Even though they are not meant for me
She's constantly afraid of setting him off, upsetting him, maybe even being yelled at. But in the back of her mind, she knows those mean words aren't really directed at her -- they come from a deeper dissatisfaction with life or something. They still hurt though.
I'm traveling
Walking on paper thin ice
Ice that is melting
And yet still I think I'm breaking it
Again, the thin ice is his mood. The ice is melting though, and she can't do anything about it. Yet still she blames herself for it breaking
I'm perfection
Don't I do everything right?
Where is my reward?
You should know how to love me by now
Finally, she's just frustrated, because she IS doing everything right, and it's totally NOT her fault for how he's so often in a bad mood.
I'm frustrated
Lost, wanting validation
Or some sympathy
But still looking in the wrong places
She's frustrated, doesn't know what to do, and wants to feel justified in her frustration but she's still looking for validation in the guy.
I'm remembering
I'm still learning to love too
And it's not my fault
Love is not bought, but can it be taught?
Then she starts to realize that his short personality and temper are not her fault. That he simply still learning how to love her in the ways she needs. That she can't buy his love by loving him, but can it be taught?
I'm listening
And I think I understand
It's not about me
All the times I hurt made you regret
Finally she starts to see that all his dissatisfaction and everything isn't about her. He does love her, and he regrets any and every time he made her feel un-loved. He's struggling with life though.
I'm progressing
I can tell you love me still
So let the ice break
It's cold anyway, and you're freezing
That's a big step forward for her, and in the end she realizes that she can best love him by saying bring it on to everything that's making him un-happy and working with him as he overcomes it. He's not happy -- he's freezing -- so rather than blaming herself, making him feel guilty, or whatever, she should encourage him to get all of that stuff out. To share it, to be mad about it, whatever it takes, so they can move forward.
Inspiration
Most of the inspiration for this came from couples I've observed. Especially people blaming themself for every negative thing their partner says. Making themselves responsible for things they're not, and all the while finding their complete validation in what their partner says, making it doubly damaging.
It also came partly from something my wife and I were going through at the time. I felt like I was trying pretty hard and doing pretty well at doing everything I possibly could "right" to make her happy and everything, and yet it felt like every little thing -- a computer acting up, our internet going out for 10 seconds, friends not meeting expectations, etc. would set her off and put her in a bad mood and make me terrified to be around her.
But what I came to realize was that this was that this was because I was looking at it all wrong. She's not always like that, so something was causing it. She felt bad about it and repeatedly apologized and tried to make it up to me, so it clearly wasn't ME causing it. (Though I'm sure my whipped dog attitude every time she got mad about something was the opposite of beneficial.) So I realized that I needed to stop worrying about myself and moping that she wasn't being fair or whatever, and just love her, and if possible, dive into everything troubling her with her and work through it all together. And while I still don't know everything affecting her moods during that time -- hormones, stress, anxiety, lack of self worth, lack of self discovery, and much more I'm sure -- it was a big step forward and we are currently happier together than we've ever been!
I think it's an ever present temptation and trap to try to be everything your partner needs, or to find everything you need in your partner. Obviously I believe there are physical and emotional needs that are only meant to be met by a spouse, but there's a lot of other needs that are also meant to be met by God and through other friends and family.
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