Kuala Lampur, Sept. 30 -- "How old are you?"

It sounds like a simple question. But when it is directed at an adult, particularly a woman, it is often accompanied by a small disclaimer: "If you don't mind me asking."

That little disclaimer says more than we might realise. It suggests that we already understand age can be sensitive.

While some people may hesitate before answering or simply decline to say, others, like me, might turn the question into a joke.

Rather than simply giving a number, I sometimes say that I was born in the same year as Taylor Swift. Go figure!

Why has age become something that some of us feel the need to hide? A number is simply a measure of how many years we have lived.

However, it can carry expectations abo...