Let's try to figure out what is the meaning behind the expression “thorny path”. What does this phrase mean? In what cases is it worth using? And where does it get its roots from? After all, the only way to fully and unconditionally realize its essence.
The Thorny Path: Meaning
To begin with, this is a very ancient phrase that came to us from the hot lands of the East. Moreover, its value has remained unchanged over the past two thousand years. As for its essence, the expression “thorny path” means a difficult fate full of all kinds of obstacles.
Often, such an expression is applied to those people who are "lucky" to experience the brunt of rock. Here is an example: “His path was initially thorny: when he was seven, his father and his mother abandoned them. In less than a year, my grandfather, the only breadwinner in the family, became seriously ill. And so, at eight, little Misha first went to work in the local editorial office - to deliver ruble newspapers in the evenings. ”
Where did this expression come from?
In fact, the “thorny path” is an image transferred from the real world. And to be more precise, a literal comparison of a person’s fate with a road covered with blackthorn. Therefore, for a better understanding of this phenomenon, let's talk a little about what is the mentioned plant.
So, blackthorn is a thorny bush growing on the desert lands of the East. He gained his fame thanks to massive spikes that can easily tear human skin. Therefore, the thorny path is the road along which prickly plants grow.
As for the expression itself, over the years, people simply transferred the image of the prickly thicket to their conversation, turning it into a colorful metaphor. They compared the difficulty of going through a thorny path with how difficult it can sometimes be to break through life's troubles. After all, just as spikes hurt the body, so lunges of fate crash into the soul with pain.
Crown of Thorns
The expression "thorny path" is very often used by Christians. This is due to the fact that they associate it with the life of Jesus Christ. In particular, with his last journey to Calvary, where he was crucified. The thing is that a crown of thorns was put on the Savior’s head, symbolizing, according to the Romans, the fake crown of the “self-proclaimed” God.
Naturally, after the resurrection of Christ, the crown of thorns acquired a different meaning. He has become a symbol of suffering. The same thing happened with the expression “thorny path”. So, for Christians, it now symbolizes that series of trials that they must pass in order to go to heaven.
In which cases it is acceptable to use this expression
Initially, the phrase "thorny path" meant only the difficult fate of man. But over the years, people more and more often began to use it as a synonym for some kind of tempering. For example, if a person steadfastly overcome all his life troubles, then this ultimately made him stronger and allowed him to succeed.
Therefore, it is best to use this phrase in cases where you need to indicate the fortitude of a certain personality, emphasize the complexity of fate and what it can lead to. Example: “Stephen Hawking’s path to the heights of the scientific world was very thorny. Nevertheless, deprived of the ability to move and speak normally, he still managed to tell everyone how large our Universe can be. ”
