---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a stranger, learning to love the…"
description: "\"I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me\" — June Jordan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png"
---

#  I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me

![“I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me” quote by June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png)

> “I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me”

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Jordan embraces unfamiliarity, finding love through openness to others.

**In simple terms:** Love grows by accepting strangers.

Key Takeaway

Open yourself to new connections.

Themes

empathy identity community

Mood

intimate hopeful

Type

poetic inspirational

When to use this quote

- immigrant experiences
- neighborhood interactions
- artistic collaborations

Key Concepts

self-discovery social bonds

Questions to Reflect On

- How does vulnerability foster love?
- What risks come with trusting strangers?

A Different Perspective

May overlook personal boundaries.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Learning to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-to-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangers/)

## Related quotes

> [“I wasn't sure who I was most scared of at the moment. The stranger I was learning about too quickly, or the woman I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-miranda/i-wasn-t-sure-who-i-was-most-scared-of-at-the-moment-the-stranger-i/)

[Megan Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-miranda/)

> [Love each other, even strangers. Nothing in the world matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/love-each-other-even-strangers-nothing-in-the-world-matters-more/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [“He could see his uncles slugging each other with such force that they had to be in love. Strangers would never want to hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-could-see-his-uncles-slugging-each-other-with-such-force-that-they/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [The musician and the listener. If this is love between two strangers watching each other from afar, that rough, burning moment when you rush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tablo/the-musician-and-the-listener-if-this-is-love-between-two-strangers/)

[Tablo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tablo/)

> [When did creating a flawless facade become a more vital goal than learning to love the person who lives inside your skin?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/when-did-creating-a-flawless-facade-become-a-more-vital-goal-than/)

[Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/)

> [If time is my vessel, then learning to love might be my way back to sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-banks/if-time-is-my-vessel-then-learning-to-love-might-be-my-way-back-to-sea/)

[Paul Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-banks/)

> [If there's no one in your life to love right now, love yourself. A large part of the path of love is learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-there-s-no-one-in-your-life-to-love-right-now-love-yourself-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [If we would truly seek to be more like our Savior and Master, learning to love as He loves should be our highest goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/if-we-would-truly-seek-to-be-more-like-our-savior-and-master-learning/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Learning to love differently is hard, love with the hands wide open, love with the doors banging on their hinges, the cupboard unlocked, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/learning-to-love-differently-is-hard-love-with-the-hands-wide-open/)

[Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/)

> [They say learning to love yourself Is the first step That you take when you want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/they-say-learning-to-love-yourself-is-the-first-step-that-you-take/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [Learning to listen to ourselves is a way of learning to love ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/learning-to-listen-to-ourselves-is-a-way-of-learning-to-love-ourselves/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/learning-to-love-back-is-the-hardest-part-of-being-alive/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [The first step in learning to love others is the attempt to understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-von-speyr/the-first-step-in-learning-to-love-others-is-the-attempt-to/)

[Adrienne von Speyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-von-speyr/)

> [There are many lessons to learn. Naming just one is next to impossible. However, learning to love and be loved is a good starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/there-are-many-lessons-to-learn-naming-just-one-is-next-to-impossible/)

[Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/)

> [I have been missing the point. The point is not knowing another person, or learning to love another person. The point is simply this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/i-have-been-missing-the-point-the-point-is-not-knowing-another-person/)

[Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/)

## More by June Jordan

> [But, based on my friendship with Evie as young mothers, I started going on freedom rides in 1966.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/but-based-on-my-friendship-with-evie-as-young-mothers-i-started-going/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [I am working never to be late again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-working-never-to-be-late-again/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself. And that's political, in its most profound way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/to-tell-the-truth-is-to-become-beautiful-to-begin-to-love-yourself/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [In America, you can segregate the people, but the problems will travel. From slavery to equal rights, from state suppression of dissent to crime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/in-america-you-can-segregate-the-people-but-the-problems-will-travel/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [We survive our love because we go on loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/we-survive-our-love-because-we-go-on-loving/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [Americans have begun to understand that trouble does not start somewhere on the other side of town. It seems to originate inside the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/americans-have-begun-to-understand-that-trouble-does-not-start/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [The United States Supreme Court, once a reliable if ultimate recourse for progressive and even revolutionary grievances, has become a retrograde wellspring for enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-united-states-supreme-court-once-a-reliable-if-ultimate-recourse/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [My father was very intense, passionate and over-the-top. He was my hero and my tyrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/my-father-was-very-intense-passionate-and-over-the-top-he-was-my-hero/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [The purpose of polite behavior is never virtuous. Deceit, surrender, and concealment these are not virtues. The goal of the mannerly is comfort, per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-purpose-of-polite-behavior-is-never-virtuous-deceit-surrender-and/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [“the motivation behind every sentence is the wish to say something real to somebody real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-motivation-behind-every-sentence-is-the-wish-to-say-something/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [Bisexuality means I am free and I am as likely to want to love a woman as I am likely to want to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/bisexuality-means-i-am-free-and-i-am-as-likely-to-want-to-love-a/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [“...love without being destroyed...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/love-without-being-destroyed/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [Body and soul, Black America reveals the extreme questions of contemporary life, questions of freedom and identity: How can I be who I am?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/body-and-soul-black-america-reveals-the-extreme-questions-of/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [South Africa used to seem so far away. Then it came home to me. It began to signify the meaning of white hatred here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/south-africa-used-to-seem-so-far-away-then-it-came-home-to-me-it/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

> [The thing about genius is it will never yield to circumstances. Genius regards what's given as the beginning of its need to find or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-thing-about-genius-is-it-will-never-yield-to-circumstances-genius/)

[June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

[Explore all 104 June Jordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/)

## More Learning to love quotes

> [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/)

[Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/)

> [I have been missing the point. The point is not knowing another person, or learning to love another person. The point is simply this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/i-have-been-missing-the-point-the-point-is-not-knowing-another-person/)

[Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/)

> [There are many lessons to learn. Naming just one is next to impossible. However, learning to love and be loved is a good starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/there-are-many-lessons-to-learn-naming-just-one-is-next-to-impossible/)

[Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/)

> [The first step in learning to love others is the attempt to understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-von-speyr/the-first-step-in-learning-to-love-others-is-the-attempt-to/)

[Adrienne von Speyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-von-speyr/)

> [Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/learning-to-love-back-is-the-hardest-part-of-being-alive/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [I do believe that part of us ending racism is us seeing each other's humanity and learning to love each other, even if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-do-believe-that-part-of-us-ending-racism-is-us-seeing-each-other-s/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Learning to listen to ourselves is a way of learning to love ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/learning-to-listen-to-ourselves-is-a-way-of-learning-to-love-ourselves/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [They say learning to love yourself Is the first step That you take when you want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/they-say-learning-to-love-yourself-is-the-first-step-that-you-take/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [Learning to love differently is hard, love with the hands wide open, love with the doors banging on their hinges, the cupboard unlocked, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/learning-to-love-differently-is-hard-love-with-the-hands-wide-open/)

[Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/)

> [If we would truly seek to be more like our Savior and Master, learning to love as He loves should be our highest goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/if-we-would-truly-seek-to-be-more-like-our-savior-and-master-learning/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [If there's no one in your life to love right now, love yourself. A large part of the path of love is learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-there-s-no-one-in-your-life-to-love-right-now-love-yourself-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [If time is my vessel, then learning to love might be my way back to sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-banks/if-time-is-my-vessel-then-learning-to-love-might-be-my-way-back-to-sea/)

[Paul Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-banks/)

> [When did creating a flawless facade become a more vital goal than learning to love the person who lives inside your skin?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/when-did-creating-a-flawless-facade-become-a-more-vital-goal-than/)

[Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/)

> [I'm proud of my body. My body weight will always be something I'll struggle with for the rest of my life, but I'm finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khloe-kardashian/i-m-proud-of-my-body-my-body-weight-will-always-be-something-i-ll/)

[Khloe Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khloe-kardashian/)

> [The more you love, the more you crave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/the-more-you-love-the-more-you-crave/)

[Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/)

[Browse all 58 Learning to love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-to-love/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "June Jordan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-strangers-around-me/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Learning to love"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-strangers-around-me/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/june-jordan-5050_learning-to-love_i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-str_2601226.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am a stranger, learning to love the strangers around me” — June Jordan",
                "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": "June Jordan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I am a stranger, learning to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-strangers-around-me/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-a-stranger-learning-to-love-the-strangers-around-me/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
