community & self-love (or) i need to read a bell hooks book

The great irony abaft committing to a life of polyamory is the unsettling feeling of isolation. A common reaction of friends and lovers has been similar to one of being diagnosed with an infectious disease: retreat from contact, in fear of complications of the heart. How do we continue to practice self-love in relationships that call in to question our patterns of intimacy, jealousy, and belonging? How do we move forward without abandon?