Smriti tells the secret of good looks:)

Bohemian Bahu

On a philosophical note, Smriti Z Irani, television actor, feels contentment is what keeps an individual happy, youthful and looking great

Can someone please tell me how Hema Malini manages to look the way she does? She has raised two daughters almost single handedly, pursued a career in dance, directed films and has become the heartthrob of millions once again when she paired opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Baghban.

Magazines describe women between their 20s and 30s, who manage home and career, as the 'new woman'. But the 'Hema brigade' has been doing it for years. Yup, women in their late 40's and early 50's would give women my age a run for their money. And here I do not mean only those from the glam world but even those away from it. Be it acclaimed painter Lalitha Lajmi, founding member of Cancer Patients Aid Association, Rekha Sapru, or closer home - my mother. All of them not only have tremendous confidence but also a serene calm.

When we were growing up we thought touching 40 meant the end of the road. But the 'post 50 brigade' makes you think. We wonder what makes them glow? Plastic surgery? Yoga? Fruit diet? No one came up with a plausible answer. What makes them peaceful? What makes them tick?

The answer is 'Contentment'. They are happy being who they are, discovering themselves through the struggles and joys of life, embarking new adventures and yet knowing the way back home. I have never seen these ladies throw their weight around, be brash about their success or dole out infinite wisdom, when not asked for. Not only do they lead their own lives but also understand those who make their own rules. Maybe this maturity comes with age. But most of it also comes with a willingness to learn.

There are times when I hit the treadmill thinking of these amazing ladies, try to pile up an egg concoction to get the Dimple bounce in my hair, eat papaya to get the Hema glow or even try witty one-liners like Shobha De. But then I get a tap on the head by my mom-in-law (very much glowing like her counterparts). She says, "You're fine just the way you are. The glow comes not from the mud packs, aromatherapy or raw papaya; it comes with complete surrender to life and the laws of nature."

I guess she's right. Women my age are always racing against time, trying to seek perfection in every project, in every relationship. So much so that we forget to live, breathe or take time to smell the roses or the time to just be. So now I've embarked on a new adventure - finding myself. I want to find the glow within that not only lights my path but also of those I love. For only in that light, in that love I'll find myself- content, loved, ready to live.

P.S: And I hope to do so before I turn 40.