Earlier this year, a student looked at my face a bit too long and asked, “How old are you?”

Before I share my answer, let me say this: I’m as fresh as a new coin. No wrinkles, no spots, barely any signs of aging. And that day, I was in a great mood. So, I decided to use the student’s question to praise myself a little. Smiling, I replied, “How old do you think I am?”

Before I tell you what the student said, let me explain why I look so fresh.

For the past twenty years, I’ve done everything I can to slow down aging. I’ve avoided the sun, hid under big floppy hats, and used sunscreen almost religiously.

Why?

Because somewhere along the way, life taught me that youth means beauty, and beauty is everything.

 Beauty is power.

I’m not saying it’s fair that beauty holds such weight in the world. But, like Lyme disease or lime-flavored tortilla chips, beauty is just a fact of life. 

Beauty is like a key—it unlocks people’s affection. It’s like having springs in your step, something easy on the eyes, and somehow, it smooths the path toward achieving dreams.

Beauty is like aerodynamics for life; it gives you a license to move a little faster.

So, back to the student. I asked, “How old do you think I am?”

The student looked at me thoughtfully and answered, “Early thirties?"

I smiled and said, “I’m forty-six.

In that moment, I realized that looking fresh wasn’t just about sunscreen and hats. It’s also about the confidence that beauty, in whatever form, gives me—a confidence that lets me move through life a little easier, a little faster. 

And maybe, just maybe, that’s why beauty can feel timeless.