<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def absstart(self):
 """Returns the absolute start of the element by including docstrings outside of the element definition if applicable."""

        if hasattr(self, "docstart") and self.docstart > 0:
            return self.docstart
        else:
            return self.start