DEALING WITH PROBLEMS

“Well, everybody in Casablanca has problems. Yours may work out.”
—Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), in the 1942 movie Casablanca

In this scene, the cynical Rick (Bogart) is changing.  He is on the way to becoming a better, more committed, caring, self-sacrificing person.  He is not there yet, but he is on his way.  Here he acknowledges Annina’s problem and gives her a bit of hope. He helps to solve her problem by letting her husband win at roulette.  Later he solves a similar, more personal and costly, problem for Ilsa.  On a personal level, I hope I am like Rick—changing into a better person.  On a professional level this is valuable too.  We all have problems.  Nobody’s classroom runs perfectly.  No one has it all figured out, but we can give one another hope.  And we can use what we have to help one another.