26 Robert Fulghum - Maybe (Maybe Not)

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@ PAN isa oe eeaeens cee ssa lcay mash yg et ene Pee eee man heel Peace i eed oe at op oe aes Bere Gate vals bp Sa and the i Bt, sare torso Teser aed CS egos ol of pe, = Ts. pn ne ene id nk eee Bt bl oe ly Ged Te Say te jee ne On ecrta wae mere woot ppp Ai tien ace ‘That's a crucial sentence—he lst thing Jebovaly says 0 Cain “You may mph over evil and have abundant lite” ‘The critcal word isthe second one, the verb— Tomshel in Hebe. This term has vere scholars and theologians for ‘Tong time, ft sisi the middle of passage com siete one of the five most difficult i the Serpe {ures to anslate and understand. Ip conte it has varied meanings, especially in this interchange be- ‘ween Jeioval and Cain Tinshel has been interpreted to mean “you shall"—tha's an ordes, 2 command. Toshet hes een inepseted 0 mean “you will—which ime plies prodostination. Tense! hts even been iner- preted to mesn "you cannot,” which soggests hopeless dependence. All these interpretations de- {ne relationship with God that loaves litle fre dom. ‘My fiend the rabbi feels that the practical meaning of that passage of Scripture concerns vitalty—meaning "Don't be dead,” or “Don't be a passive victin—be setive—be alive." He reads it 500d advice: Tate is this problem with eil— ‘yu realy should deal with it Cary that one sep furcher—if you should, then you may. "Toner mse! to mean “you may” is vse 4 word thet implies the possibility of else, This is nota matter of theological harping. 1 eink 1 srong cate can be made that human beings ave ar least acted as if “you may” was the cumect inerpretation—acting ar f our destiny is in our bands ‘Whatever we may think or believe, what we have done is our sor. ‘You don't need to be & theologian or belong to any particular religions group to enter this diss son, but you do come down somewhere on thi s- sue of what’ posible in your life by how you in {het go about your life. You live this truth, one way ‘or another Tn modera Englis,simshel means “it may be x, simply, “maybe.” ‘Maybe. There's our word ‘The wisest enuwer to vltimate questions ‘A word pointing at open doors and wide hor- 1 do.not believe thatthe meaning of life sa puzzle 10 be solved ‘Life is. Tam. Anything might happen. ‘And U believe {may invest my life with mean ing “The uncenainy isa blessing in disguise ICT were absohuely certain about all things, 1 ‘would spend my life In anxious misery, fearful of losing my way. But since everything and anything ae alvays possible, the miraculous is always searby and wonders shall never. ever cease. believe that human freedom may be stated in ne fern, which serves asa litle brick propping ‘open the door of existence: Maybe. Breccia, so mae ve) rene tot ao a figs pone anon obo & ‘hen, When Joong nowt a for Siar pen eeereereremey in oi ona Sin Waal iy» Sonos Coan Foch cnt eee entice ene “Pa Cad hs gow sae in et Yes some ial nein cna ne Bins Sapmsing st ese oreo re Roerenletyevonlteh ome teas ee Png emo, ll endemncng te ao “Tc hopin or bey cne0 mest ce su rgd ee crak water ‘thn tiphctne psa. My py con i and gon sneering Eoncion tl taing gone dal Tier ston. My mind ed my pc ee ro ie ‘> tne. Tee mh Melee lftmaton, sad f fet the exe wille-Lappteing on i ‘srtone whee Be chit us bende ad ‘ie no tow mich ore nah The omined Iie m pane ‘ee en he lady kaw moss of wha ecto ove + eigen al ‘hat competed Flow Ande ca es booze Gein al ote meri (er ye Hes my Creda ‘RLTREAEY HED 20 KO ao Be td wie to de ad howto bet ease Kcr ‘Miso wa not a the wp fe greene nua, batten be sind Say Sa The are te thing nee Stare vein, Dos i people: ‘Co up your oma me an ak igs har aa ous Sey porte sory your eosody 4h oe mds re you. Fisk "Wan oes td ad ihe goad or ou tise bland Mle tome td thik some 408 ea snd nding ad dance nd pay on ‘otk every dy some Take to vey inom. sai bal bao ck pte ‘Be wore of ment Reenter ye a the Soa cap Te rst gra sah lat tes up aod nb tly Anos hw ov wy, Bu ‘esses ike ts ‘Gotan ad bars ad whe ace ad sen "An thea emer Dice backs sed het winter gg ra xayhing you net ona i inte some Mn Eevlgy and pobier and qui snd se pone “ake anyone of hs ts a expel tito sophie wl ers ed ply ee you ay ir your woot yous poeta Your word edt hl te a cea, Tak hat 2 eae wordt woulest wealth whi wer ad cokes and mil but the oleck ee ac ‘0 an ah oy own wet ou ki fr ap (Grit goweraments ad +b ay etna igs ck where they found Bem a Uptown mat ‘Ad tl wus, no mater how od oe ee “wen you go un the were nis bot Bold and Sed ck nin

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