From: a starting point

“Where do you come from?” Meaning geography. A common question when getting to know someone new. 

My answer: “I grew up in Connecticut, and my parents were from northern Maine.” Both sets of grandparents were potato farmers—below/right is my father’s family farm. We visited the folks back home in Maine every winter and summer vacation—February and August.

From their humble roots, my parents moved to a modest house in Connecticut—featured at top of the post and photographed during an ice storm. Because the town of Woodbridge was affluent, we enjoyed the benefits of being “from” the area’s good schools and fine reputation. 

Unlike Jesus’s “from” starting point.

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. John 1:46

From: a separation

“Where do you come from? Meaning faith. An uncommon question, but come and see.

It took me four decades to ask that question, as I wrote about here. Now in the third stage of life, journeying in faith while living at Vanaprastha has often felt like a wilderness experience. A physical separation from the busyness of this world, removal from the vanities of wealth, success, and prominence. Release from anxiety while delighting in weakness.

From: the source

“Where do you come from?” Meaning discernment. A fundamental question for self-examination.

From by definition:

1a—used as a function word to indicate a starting point of a physical movement or a starting point in measuring or reckoning or in a statement of limits; came here from the city a week from today cost from $5 to $10

b—used as a function word to indicate the starting or focal point of an activity; called me from a pay phone ran a business from her home

2—used as a function word to indicate physical separation or an act or condition of removal, abstention, exclusion, release, subtraction, or differentiation; protection from the sun relief from anxiety

3—used as a function word to indicate the source, cause, agent, or basis we conclude from this a call from my lawyer inherited a love of music from his father worked hard from necessity

 

If you wish, listen to the four-minute, flute with piano version of the spiritual “Were You There?” I played during Communion at church yesterday. Starting from the one-hour mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho39p9QI6EI.

A solo, from separation.

From the source: the Spirit.

Where do you come from?

Link up with Five Minute Friday: https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/08/05/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-from/