#maybe

“The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers.”-Erich Fromm

We are waiting. We are waiting for an understanding of when we can regather, if we can congregate, where we can go, what we can do safely. Looking at all the data, an abundance of caution is crucial for our continued health and safety. So we wait.

And while we wait, it is so easy to focus on the losses and the grief. And while I’m not particularly advocating for a Pollyanna perspective to our current realities, I wonder if we can focus on the changed things around us that are good, creative, optimistic, and perhaps even beneficial things coming out of this time period?

We have been in conversations about the “what ifs” at our school since the beginning of our distance learning. End of the year events, milestone moments, graduation…all things we have considered or are considering. We grieve the loss of some and celebrate the reinvention of others.

Our intentional emphasis on a balance of synchronous and asynchronous learning has shown us the value of being flexible with time and focusing on high-quality feedback loops. It is not the same, but we can glean amazing data for how we might continue to hone and enhance our practices both together and apart.

Maybe is such a frustrating word, especially in a time where control and certainty are in short supply. But, what if that maybe became a source of creativity and inspiration? What if it allowed us to really consider the wheat and the chaff of things?

Today is “National Superhero Day.” I’m not exactly sure who decided this be it Hallmark, Marvel, or DC Comics….but I wish I could deliver 143 capes to the faculty and staff of my school. They are modeling resiliency, creativity, and flexibility in a world of maybes. They think about the hard things and grapple with ways to reinvent and reenvision for their students. They are all superheroes to me.

At some point, our maybes will slow down and then perhaps rise up again. We will ride the roller coaster together, sometimes in the same seat or sometimes taking turns. And trust that maybe won’t last forever.