Question: how to correctly initialize variable which is meant to contain an equation, or a symbol, or a function?

in my object, I have few private variables. To make sure the object is correctly initialized between each use, I'd like to initialize these private variables each time at the start of the call each time the object is called to process something.

Some of these variables represent equations, or symbols or functions. Some of these are set by the user of the object, but some are not. And I do not want to leave those that are not set, using old values from last call.

The problem  I can't use {} nor NULL to initialized these private variables, since I am telling Maple they are of type `=` or `symbol` or `function`.

To give a small example, I use a proc here to illustrate, since it the same idea, but less code.

restart;
kernelopts('assertlevel'=2):
foo:=proc(input_ode::`=`)
   local ode::`=`:={};  #i'd like to give this some initial value. But what?
   ode:=input_ode;
end proc;

now foo(diff(y(x),x)=5) gives

Error, (in foo) assertion failed in assignment, expected `=`, got {}
Same type of error happens if I use NULL.

Is there a special value or tag one can use to initialize/reset any variable, regardless of its type? I thought at first that NULL will work, but it is not.

The idea is that I'd like all my object private variable to always have known state when the same object is called each time. ie. to clean it up before the next time is made.

The above is just an example. Ofcourse I could just do this

restart;
kernelopts('assertlevel'=2):
foo:=proc(input_ode::`=`)
   local ode::`=`; #leave it un-initialized since it will be overwritten next
   ode:=input_ode;
end proc;

And now no error.