11:03 p.m. | 2005-03-10 Do You Remember Boot Straps? Frankly, I don�t. However, I�m quite familiar with the phrase: �pulling yourself up by your own boot straps�. Actually, I�m not even sure that�s right; more than likely, I�ve just now butchered that phrase. I�m quite familiar with the concept though. Which basically involves having the inner strength to find your own way in life. Whatever way that might be. More to the point, it means picking your own ass up off the floor, dusting it off and moving on to the next thing. �Ass� is poor choice of words, of course, but I�ll trust that you know what I mean. I know that I�ve done that all my life, but there is one person who keeps pointing it out. Not in so much a positive or negative way � because it is both a positive and a negative thing � just in a factual way. Yes, that�s what it took to obtain the career that I have, to achieve the educational goals I had and to make it possible for me to survive. But, at some point, I have to recognize that asking for help is not the nemesis to bootstrapping. Actually, I�m learning and achieving that now. It�s quite humbling in case you were wondering. And, it�s very liberating too. Obviously, I�m not the center of the universe (thank God) nor am I the smartest person in the world. I�ve always known that � except maybe when I was 5 or 15 � but, I�ve always relied on myself to be the steward of my life. I had to for many years. Know what though? I�m not the best steward. By any means. I�ve done fairly well� I�ve always managed to make sure that I had food, shelter and clothing. A career and education have always been icing on that cake. And, I�ve taken pretty good care of myself physically. Generally speaking. However, I�ve not always been a good steward of my emotional health. That�s a tough one to bootstrap. Lots of land mines in that ground. But I�m, once again, pulling myself up by my own boot straps in order to tackle that particular area. It�s been interesting to say the least. And, by the way, I believe that�s where the computer vernacular of �booting� and �rebooting� came from. In fact, when I was a computer programmer (back in the DOS days) we also �bootstrapped� things. Sometimes, I even wear boots. Not a lot but occasionally. None of mine have straps though. Mostly, I�ve pulled myself up by my own bare �feat�. But what about you guys? Who�s bootstrapped in their lives? Who wants to know how to boot strap? Inquiring minds want to know. your thoughts? seed flower