Parks and Rec fans: my apologies in advance for making this article a serious one. I laugh every time I watch the show, trust me. I love Leslie and Ron equally, "Bye, Bye Li'l Sebastian" gets stuck in my head on occasion, and I know the true meaning behind the cultural fad of "treat yo self." But upon re-watching the 18th episode of Season 2, a valuable lesson caught my eye.
Non Parks and Rec fans: What could Parks and Recreation have to offer, you might ask? Bear with me, but you might agree by the end (And also, what's wrong with you?).
Leslie is asked at the request of the governor, whose dog was recently bitten by a possum, to find and trap this possum that has been harassing a local golf course, since Animal Control is inept. The target is identified as none other than Fairway Frank. In true Knope style, Leslie acts as though this charge is one of the greatest honors of her career, pursues the challenge with energetic intensity, and, with the help of Andy, traps the notorious possum.
All seems to be going well. Leslie is even promised a favor from the governor's office. She's as excited as a little kid who's just heard the ice cream truck coming down the street. Then, of course, comes the catch: they see another possum on the golf course. Leslie isn't completely sure the possum they caught is Fairway Frank. What if they caught the wrong possum? What if they've detained an innocent marsupial? To Leslie, nothing is more horrific than the thought of potentially haven broken her moral code. To live with the guilt of having trapped a potentially innocent possum? Horrific. Instead, she takes the possum to her friend's house, where it gets loose and eventually escapes. The possum is lost, as is the news op and Leslie's promised favor from the governor's office.
As comical as the situation is in its ridiculousness, it holds a fairly simple lesson: don't let the possum out. The goal was not really to catch Fairway Frank or mercilessly trap animals. The goal was to make the golf course, and ultimately the town, a safer place. Leslie got so caught up in the details of the situation that she ended up making it worse. Her biggest mistake was second-guessing herself. She had a decision to make, came up with a plan, and executed it. Then she was unsure of her decision, and wrought with anxiety about having made the wrong choice, she ended up back in square one, no possum trapped.
When I think about the indecisive moments I (frequently) have, the problem is more often than not the second-guessing. What if I made the wrong decision? What it doesn't work out? Well, sometimes we will make mistakes. And that's ok -- we can grow and learn from them. Most of the time, we are fully capable of making good decisions, while second-guessing ourselves out of a decision will be more of a mistake than if we had made a plan and stuck with it. The fear of making a mistake should not paralyze us from taking risks, trying new things, or just making everyday decisions. Don't let the possum out.
Leslie, thank you for reminding me that the goal isn't to be perfect (and thanks for all the laughs, too). We don't have to be perfect. We don't have to catch Fairway Frank. We just need to make decisions as well as we can, and stick to them.
