Dear Leslie Knope,
I know you’re a fictional character…a fictional character who, technically, really doesn’t exist because your show isn’t on the air anymore. But that isn’t going to stop me from writing this.
You see, you are my guiding light in life. Sure, it sounds silly. There are plenty of amazing women in my life who are much more real that could serve as my guiding light, my role model, my mentor. And, obviously, some of them do. I have an amazing mother, a fleet of wonderful and supportive aunts, a wise ex-English teacher, and countless female friends and peers serving as various forms of role models and mentors in my life.
But you, Leslie Knope, you stand out. I see myself in you in ways I don’t experience with other people. You capture a sense of wonder and passion about the world that can only exist in a fictional character that doesn’t have to deal with the real world. You inspire me to continue to seek out joy and curiosity in my life even though the real world is, as you would say, full of a bunch of peepee heads sometimes.
You never tire of your job, even when it gets you down. Sure, as Ron reminds you, it’s a thankless job. But you are still so excited to come in to work for the City of Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, or, for a brief stint, the Pawnee City Council (sorry about that recall…). I too want to go into a profession that can at times be rather thankless. I want to be a public school teacher. Anyone who has ever interacted with, or been, a student knows that sometimes they are thankless creatures that sap your energy, time, and spirit. But, they need us. Just as the City of Pawenee needed you, Leslie. You were always there for your city even when it was difficult or tiring or just plain miserable. Seeing how you continued to love your job despite its difficulties inspires me to embrace the life of public service that is on the horizon for me.
That being said, you also know when to ask for help, even if it’s one of the harder things you have to do. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve watched “Sweet Sixteen” (Season 4, episode 16) to remind myself that even a powerful Pawnee Goddess like yourself needs to ask for help. We can’t do it all, no matter how hard we try. As hard as I try, I simply can’t juggle 18 credits of academic classes, being president of a club, being on the leadership board of another organization, student teaching twice a week, and also like sleeping and eating and other things humans need to do. I look to you as a reminder that sometimes, as hard as it may be, we need to take a sabbatical. We both have Ron Swansons in our lives to help remind us of this fact, but you and “Sweet Sixteen” help remind me of this as well.
You also guide me in my personal life. I am lucky enough to have my own Ben Wyatt in my life. Our relationship is beautiful and full of waffle sundaes and waking up at 4am to watch Elizabeth Warren live on Meet the Press and political debates and love of Lil Sebastian (or, in our case, puppies). But, we have struggles just like you. I have been told by my Ben (whose real name is Andrew) that I too am like arguing with the sun, and need to chill out every once and while. He goes away for his work (film and television studies) just like Ben does in Season 5. My Ben went to Australia for a summer, and is planning to go to LA next year. It’s hard, and my first instinct, like yours, was to tell him not to go. But we make it through. You remind me of how important it is to support your partner in their dreams, because they support our dreams just as fiercely.
In addition to romantic life, you also guide my other relationships. You remind me how important female friendships are. Our culture often tells us that women should be competitive, not friends. But you, and the beautiful sunfish Ann Perkins, show me how vital our female friends are. They give us unwavering, but honest support in ways no one else can. My Ann Perkins (whose real name is Karin) is always here for me, but isn’t afraid to tell me when I’m being too high-strung or about to make a totally stupid decision. You also remind me that sometimes it’s hard, but it’s important to have friends that have different opinions from us. My dad is to me as Ron Swanson is to you. We can have polar opposite views when it comes to policy and politics. Sometimes it’s incredibly hard for me to talk about my views and beliefs with my dad. But I love him, just like you love Ron. And you remind me how important it is to be patient with the people who are different from us. They help shape our views, make us better people, and teach us how to work hard to find common ground.
Leslie Knope, you are my guiding light. And I’m not afraid to say it–and if you know me in real life, you know this far too well.
Friends, Waffles, and Work (Or Waffles, Friends, Work…it doesn’t matter as long as work is third),
Your Biggest Fan, Ava
Featured By Crispy Waffles with Strawberries via Wikimedia Commons (license)
The post An Open Letter to Leslie Knope appeared first on Culture Shock.