Parks and Recreation, while brimming with nutty and crazy humour, also features some surprisingly human moments and relevant gems. Many such occasions spawn from the roller-coaster relationships in the show. Owing to the fact that each character is diverse and complex, their relationships with each other are intricate and varied and can give the watcher some surprisingly relevant advice on relationships. From some of the show's best couples, here are some of my favorite tidbits of advice I learned while watching Parks and Recreation:
1. Find your own version of romance.
As any fan of the show knows, April and Andy are not the typical couple. In fact, they are about as opposite as a couple can be, with April as the bizarre and occasionally macabre introvert and Andy as the optimistic and lovable extrovert. Despite their drastic differences, they manage to find romance in almost any situation, even after an entire day of crazy doctor's appointments, while discussing sewing up each others' wounds under a bridge.
2. Be proud of your partner, no matter what.
Let's face it, Andy is a bit of a dork. He has much growing to do over the course of the show, yet April loves him and his quirks from the very beginning. From making a shrimp claw to the millions of other countless goofy moments, April is consistently loving (in her own way) and proud of even Andy's most questionable actions and inane accomplishments.
3. Love doesn't mean giving up on your dreams.
Many people wary of marriage or long term relationships often cite their reasons for that wariness is not wanting to give up on their personal dreams, but April and Andy teach us just the opposite. When you are with someone you truly love and who truly loves you, your love and support for each other will only encourage each other to more passionately pursue the things you love. It is because of their constant encouragement of one another that Andy is able to do entertainment and make money and April finds a career she truly enjoys.
4. Love teaches us and often changes our minds.
Many things change when you enter a good relationship, especially your mind. Ben, upon coming on the show, was uptight, mean, and didn't seem to care much about Pawnee or its zany residents. However, as his relationship with Leslie grows, his mind begins to shift to see things from her perspective and realizes what a special town it really is. In a healthy relationship, your partner will continually be teaching you new things, challenging your perspective, and helping you grow.
5. Your true love will be the one to help make your dreams come true.
Your true love will not just encourage your dreams, they will make them happen. (Yes, even if that dream is meeting Joe Biden.) Unlike Leslie, our dreams may not be as fantastic as meeting the vice-president, but if it is a truly healthy relationship, you will seek and find new ways to help your partner achieve the things that they deeply desire, even if they never asked you to.
6. A good relationship lets you fly your nerd flag.
We're all nerds in some way, and if you disagree, you're kidding yourself. One of the beautiful things Ben and Leslie show us is that when you are with someone you truly mesh well with, you aren't afraid to let those nerdy parts of you show because you know your partner will not only understand them and embrace them, but probably match them with nerdiness of their own.
7. Relationships can be awkward.
While not everyone is awkward, there are many (*cough* me *cough*) in this world who are, and for those people, the Ann Perkins of the world, relationships can be just as awkward. Thankfully, there are Chris Traegers, the ones who just roll with it and smile. Even though relationships can be the most blush-inducing and uncomfortable experiences at times, there are wonderful people whose charm and eagerness more than make up for the awkwardness. The right person will often actually find the embarrassing parts of you to be endearing.
8. A good relationship will make you feel comfortable.
While not everyone might be eager about peeing with the door open around their partner, a healthy love will invite that same level of comfort with each other. A deep and knowing love of each other will make people feel safe to be vulnerable to each other, albeit in different ways. In a healthy relationship like Ann and Chris's, we don't have to be afraid of judgement and can feel at ease knowing that we are accepted as we are.
9. Past relationships do not predict future success.
Regular watchers of the show will know that Ron Swanson has a complicated and dysfunctional history with marriage and relationships, having married and divorced two women and even remarrying one of them for a short time. While much of the show goes by and one might expect Ron to be an eternal bachelor, he surprises us by falling for Diane, a no-nonsense middle school vice principal who is just as stoic as he is. Though his past marriages failed miserably, we see Ron grow as a person and find true happiness with Diane and her daughters, proving that a few bad relationships cannot and will not ruin our hearts unless we let them.
10. True love means sacrifice.
It is abundantly clear throughout the show that Ron Swanson is no fan of children; however, when Diane makes it clear that Ron cannot have her without her daughters, Ron struggles and finds motivation to spend time with the loud, rambunctious girls. It is clearly not his favorite thing to do, but he marks how important it is to Diane that he bond with them, and after time, begins to see them as his own. In relationships, we will often have to bear with things we do not wildly enjoy, but seeing our partner's eyes light up with joy should remind us why the sacrifice is worth it.
