Rabbi Daniel Brenner: Maybe and Definitely
Maybe you will read this one day,
Or Maybe someone will tell you
All of the definitely we want for you
Maybe you will be a boy
Maybe a girl
Maybe binary definitions won’t confine you
And you will teach us something new
Maybe you will follow traditions
Of a people you are born into, unequivocally yours
Or maybe you will break barriers, break from your heritage
We hope not, but maybe
Maybe you will be a sibling
That is not in your control
But as your ema and I have learned
Life is definitely a maybe
Maybe you will be happy
Not always, but enough
To anchor you and fly you over time
you will definitely be sad
Maybe you will go to college
Maybe you will go to grad school
Maybe you will find no need for the institutions of education past
But you will be wise, and educated, and well-read definitely
Maybe the world will get better when you show up
Maybe you can stop our anger
Maybe you can cure disease
Maybe you will be the key to peace in the Middle East, which will happen, definitely
Maybe you will live to 100
Maybe you will lead a revolution
Or maybe you will leave earth’s gravity
And let the world revolve around you
Maybe you will meet God in a bush
Or in person
Or in a person you love
Or maybe you will demand God come out to meet you halfway
God definitely won’t mind, nor will the person who loves you back
You are definitely Maybe
Because Maybe is potential
Maybe sits at the top of the roller coaster
Maybe tugs on your fishing line
Maybe is all you can do if you embrace definitely
Definitely you will be loved
Definitely you will be cherished, and doted on, and scolded, and taught
Definitely you will win and you will lose
Definitely you will live, because you are Maybe, definitely.
~~~~~