"Parks and Recreation" is definitely my favorite show on TV. Not only is the show hilarious, but it is also optimistic about politics and the role that the government can have in people's lives. I have always admired the character Leslie Knope on this show. I feel that if I am half as passionate about my career someday as Leslie is, I could probably change the world. Here is a list of reasons why I love Leslie Knope!
1. Her passion
One of Leslie's defining characteristics is how passionate she is about local government. She believes that the work she does improves the people's lives, so thats why she works so hard. Most people are fed up with politics and all the red tape, but Leslie gives me hope that the good things about government are not lost. Also, I think passion is essential to feeling that your live has purpose. Leslie Knope proves this to me in pretty much every episode!
2. Her strength and tenacity
Not only is Leslie passionate, she puts that passion to use. She gives everything she has in her job. She works ridiculously hard, because she believes that is the path to improving the town she loves. Her can-do attitude is extremely admirable, and is a reminder that a lot can be accomplished if you set your mind to it.
3. She dreams big
Leslie wrote in her kindergarten dream journal that she wanted to be Governor of Indiana. She hopes and believes that she can be president someday. She knows these dreams will take hard work, and she is willing to put in the work to accomplish these goals. I admire her for dreaming big and never giving up on her hopes, even when it seems the whole world is against her.
4. Her love of breakfast food
As we know about Leslie, when she loves something, she REALLY loves something! Leslie reminds us of the joys in simple things when she goes on and on about the power of waffles. And let's face it, breakfast food is pretty great!
5. She's not partisan
"Parks and Recreation" cleverly disguises all the political work to not align with any current party. The emphasis on local government allows the show to focus on made up issues, but potentially could be relevant and are certainly reminiscent of current problems in the US. However, the issues aren't direct enough to make the audience angry that the show is promoting a particular party. We can certainly infer which party Leslie would belong to, but never in the show does is directly say if she's a Democrat or Republican. That way, everyone can enjoy it!
6. She cultivates friendships
Since Leslie is so passionate about her job, it would be easy for her to throw herself completely in work. However, she manages to create and maintain the strongest friendships. She is very generous and kind that it is overwhelming sometimes. I find it admirable how she reaches out to everyone and allows unlikely potential friends, like Ron Swanson, into her life.
7. She emphasizes team work
Even though Leslie is a bit of a steamroller, she does emphasize the importance of team work. All of her major projects happened with the support of her Parks and Rec team. This is an important reminder that good things do not happen in isolation. Even when you have a leader that's as strong willed and dedicated as Leslie, the really amazing projects come from collaboration.
8. She creates a home
Through her love for government and her co-workers, Leslie Knope created a home in the Parks and Recreation department. This allowed many characters to grow up and go on to lead great lives. Her love and support allowed April, Ron, Tom, Ann, Chris, and Andy to find their dream jobs. What's also wonderful is she does this with whatever place she happens to be in. She makes the world a better place, one room at a time.
Essentially, the character of Leslie Knope kind of gave me hope. All my life, I've been told I love to hard and that I care too much. When I saw Leslie doing the same things I do and I saw her create a strong community and wonderful friendships, I began to think I could do the same thing. And I think I have so far! She may be a fictional character, but this show proved to me that good things can come from caring too much and working too hard.
