‘A bolt from the blue’

The idiom ‘a bolt from the blue’ refers to a sudden shock.

But how can ‘the bolt’ and ‘the blue colour’ be associated with a sudden shock?

‘The bolt’ is the ‘thunderbolt’. ‘The blue’ refers to the ‘blue sky’. When the sky is blue, we don’t expect the rain or thunder. Usually, black clouds fill the sky before the rain. We see the lightning and hear the thunder and get ready for the rain.

But, if we hear a loud thunder when the sky is clear, we are shocked. We find it difficult to believe.

However, such occurrences do happen in life.

When we hear about the death of someone, who has no history of sickness, we are shell-shocked. We are neither able to believe it nor accept it. It becomes a ‘bolt from the blue’.

Usually, this idiom is associated with unpleasant occurrences.

When a person talks about the lottery he has won, he says, ‘Oh! I had a windfall!’

By the way, ‘what is a windfall’?

It refers to a large amount of money received unexpectedly.

What could be the origin of this expression?

Perhaps, the ripe fruit that falls, when a chance wind pushes it?

That is what some scholars say.

In lighter vein…….

I am reminded of an incident from Socrates’s life.

Socrates’s wife was always sour about his habit of inviting people home and having discussions with them for long hours. One day, as a group of his admirers was sitting in the front portion of his house, his wife went on scolding him, loudly. The visitors were perturbed. But Socrates said, ‘It is the thunder, don’t worry. Let us continue!’

His wife was further infuriated and threw a pail of water on her husband and the visitors. His visitors were shocked. But Socrates said with a smile, ‘When it thunders, it also rains!’

People usually praise Socrates as a patient man, who continued to live with this kind of a woman. But, what will today’s feminists say?