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“Do you consider me beautiful?” I ask him this question every day, and each time, my voice carries the freshness of a first inquiry. This isn’t pretense; the authenticity of his response seems to escape my memory, prompting me to seek affirmation anew. His deep exhale fills the brief silence before he responds. “You realize that you are going to have to learn how to answer that question for yourself? You are like a treasurer, asking me to appraise the same ruby every day. While my intentions may lead me to always tell you the truth—that the ruby is invaluable and stunning—if one day I’m not around, you risk encountering someone who, with less honest intentions, might convince you to undervalue it, to give it away for nothing.” — Nicole Tsopo