WE ARE ALL IN THE GUTTER, SOME HOPEFUL

What does that mean? Historically, the reference to being in the gutter usually refers to a drunk who is so drunk and unable to control their body that they literally, as well as figuratively, fall down, roll around, and end up in the lowest place available, the gutter. Being in the gutter was an expression of utter despair and hopelessness, of having gone down as low as one could possibly go.

In this case, the statement implies that we are all struggling in our own gutter of sorts, a place where we have nought but despair and hopelessness. The statement, however, differentiates between those who just lay there and bemoan their fate, and those who look up at the stars.

The statement implies that this second group is different, and not just lying there cursing fate. The implication of ‘looking at the stars’ is that they have goals, that the gutter is not their home, and that they have some hope of moving beyond their present circumstances.

Why is self-improvement important? 
To me, there are two basic paths one can walk. One is towards being as self-sufficient as possible, the other is relying on others to do things for you as much as possible. In all our lives, there will be times when we have no other choice besides doing for ourselves, and others when we must rely on others. To me, the difference is which we rely on, which we do the most often. Those who lay in the gutter and curse their fate are waiting for someone or some outside force to change their lives. Those who are looking to the stars are trying to find a way to move beyond their problems and improve their situation and themselves.

It is my belief that we are better off both as individuals and as a society when we try to do our best for ourselves (and to better ourselves) as often as possible. We still need to be prepared to help others, and to accept help as well, as no one is an island, as much as we might want to think we are.

Where can I apply this in my life?
What are the sort of things that make you feel nothing but despair and hopelessness? Grab some paper and write a few of them down (and no fair saying making lists is one of them!). If you don’t feel you have anything that does that, you may not be trying hard enough. The times I get the feeling of despair is when things go against me in a long string.

Recently, I’ve been battling a series of computer problems, and at one point considered how much it would cost to dump a bunch of the balky equipment and start over again. I got over it, and eventually beat the equipment back into line.

The question to answer for each of the items on your list is: “How do you get back to normal when you feel you’re stuck in the gutter?” Consider what stars you fix your gaze to that help inspire you to keep going, pushing past the obstacle, until you’re back on your feet again?

Take a moment and write down your thoughts on how you deal with each situation. Now select one of them and consider how you might make your life better by strengthening that which helps you. For me, it’s always about perseverance. I know if I keep at it long enough, things will change.

What will help you? What will keep you out of the gutter, or keep your stay there as short as possible? What is the star you focus on, and how can you make it stronger, more powerful, more effective?  How can you improve yourself to take better advantage of this star?What of your personality traits, your virtues or your abilities can you strengthen to assist you in your moments of despair and hopelessness? What can you do to make those moments rarer, and less severe?

How can you make these part of you, so it is a natural response?
We all have our moments of weakness; we all end up in a gutter from time to time. I would hope we each will take the initiative and work on getting out of there as quickly as possible, and trying to avoid going back there as best we can. And that we will seek help when we are having trouble on our own.
 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: