Weight of Discipline

shorts worn by Jennifer Lopez, 45 

shorts on Britney Spears 

The Fame of Shorts has long preceded the new stock of famous women fresh in their accomplishments, and the flush of young life racing through their bodies. The famous bodies holding our attention are crafted through hard work and discipline. Jennifer Lopez, who is 45 years old this year, is in the business of entertaining, and maintaining. Keeping the body type that gets her paid $17 million dollars to host a TV show is parallel to the discipline it takes to maintain her craft in the flow of continuous excellence! She said, "I've got an athletic body. I've worked out my whole life and I've been incredibly disciplined when I needed to be." in a Glamour UK interview. Her words imply, if you're paying attention, rest is a center piece of her work ethic.

Actress Kate Hudson says, "I try to be active six days a week. My rule is to try and break a sweat six days a week, whether through an intense workout, or running around with the kids. I just try to break a sweat." Now that is fine for this group of achievers. What doesn't apply to all adherents to this work ethic is the same results. You cannot, or can you discipline your body type into another body type?

I am looking at Lisa Nichols, an author and  motivational speaker. I am looking at lawyer and talk show host, Star Jones, before she removed her body fat, and comedienne, Sheryl Underwood. Three Black American women. There is Whoopi Goldberg, who is so damn fine. Each passing year she looks better and better. She maintains her middle age weight gain with aplomb, and distinguishes herself, if you are paying attention, as an Elder. Whoopi Goldberg is making the transition into the Old Crone right before our eyes. How that happened, and escaped the attention of mass media speaks to our fixation not on the mystical aspects of lifetimes. There is a whole reality of and to existence that supersedes myopic focus on the attendant fears of losing one's body form.

I brought to your attention four Black women to bring to your attention a spiritual and historical truth and insights into the pictures you see on the internet that says what is the ideal. It isn't an ideal it is a clinging to an ideology of superiority developed by Euro-Americans. It manifest itself daily, and interacts with what 'we' know and should remember about our African ancestors and our Native American ancestors.

In short, what I am saying is the weight of discipline is impeccability. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8.30.14

Viola Davis at Crystal Lucy Awards in black dress

Star Jones & then fiance Al Reynolds in 2004 on red carpet