Perhaps another view is that Rabbai akiva means if we see other beings as part of ourselves , then we can experience love.
In fact, this is what all the spiritual path is all about.
Of course, if we sre our minds on the differnces ( as apparent from the carious responses in this forum) we can never realize that, and never experience true love.
In even we see other people as refelcetion of ourselves, we still need to be carefull on who we associate with ( this is called right living, Dharma), and perhaps this is what the Rambam means,