Hitting rock bottom

A STROLL in the clouds is metaphorically a high point in human happiness. A heightened elevation of spirits is associated with happiness. Similarly, “feeling low” or being in “low spirits” implies a reduction in energy levels and diminishing happiness. “After losing the zonal match, the school hockey team is ‘lying  low’, hoping to deflect attention away from its poor performance.”

Areas at or below sea-level are termed low-lying. ‘Lowly’ (antonym of ‘lofty’) implies a value judgement about modest or humble connections. ‘Low-life’ is a derogatory expression describing creeps inhabiting the social sphere.

‘Down in the dumps’ signals being miserable or unhappy or both. ‘Going through a depression’ refers to an extended period of being low in spirit and requires clinical attention. Shallow holes, pits or ditches are formed by concave depressions in the ground. Trenches  are long pits dug by soldiers as shelters. A ‘trough’ is a low point (the antonym of crest) as well as a shallow tray from which animals feed.

Going downhill at a gradual incline is easier than climbing uphill. One may live at the bottom of a hill but travelling downhill is seldom an easy task. ‘Going downhill’ or ‘it was downhill all the way’ implies a worsening of an existing situation, as in: “When he started drinking heavily after losing his job, everything began going downhill.”

The bottom of a pile or a heap indicates a physical location. However, objects or people found at the bottom of a heap or a pile are of little value. 

Creatures at the bottom of the food chain are insignificant. Creatures at the top of the food chain grab eyeballs. The worst place to be in is at the  ‘bottom of the refuse heap’. 

‘Hitting  rock bottom’ is reaching an all time low as in; “Crude oil prices have currently hit rock-bottom”. Financial markets use both expressions to record falling stocks and shares.

The expression ‘bottom feeders’ referred to aquatic creatures drawing nutrition from the bottom of seas and oceans. Bottom feeder is now slang for a vicious or predatory person exploiting human vulnerability. 

‘Feeling low’ involves being dispirited and unhappy. Continued misery makes people hit a ‘new low’ instead of recovering. Soft, low musical notes, however, soothe and heal.

‘Bottoms’ refers to the lower half of garments such as bell bottoms and track bottoms. The expression bottoms is also slang for the backside or the buttocks.

‘Bottoms up’ involves tipping alcohol into the mouth, turning the bottom of the glass towards the ceiling. The phrase is a call for the next round of drinks.

‘Bottom line’ is a reference to the final tally in an accounting ledger at the bottom of the page, which provides details about net profit or loss.  A bottom line allows us to arrive at a conclusion. ‘Bottom point’ is the lowermost stretch of land below a level of water, as in the floor of swimming pools or ocean beds.

Is there only an abyss of despair at the bottom of things? Not always. Sometimes bottomless pits are deep and symbolise unending reserves of love and kindness. We must believe from the bottom of our hearts that we can bounce back from the lowest point through resilience and grit.