Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Lessons from Parks and Recreation

This is something that is really addressed to Mike Schur, the executive producer of Parks and Recreation, though I'm not sure how to reach him personally and I'm honestly a little proud of this thing, so I figured releasing it to the "public" would make more sense in this case. Enjoy.

Hi, Mr. Schur!


I would just like to warn you that this letter (letter? I don’t know how this is getting to you if it is at all) may get somewhat convoluted and painstakingly long, but I promise you I mean every word of it.


I started watching Parks and Recreation when it first began, in spring of 2009. Contrary to popular opinion, I liked it a lot. I didn’t think of it in a long-term sense, however. I never figured the show would survive past the first season, let alone end after seven.


What I really want to get across to you in this is not necessarily how much your show means to me (which it does--a LOT), but what I’ve learned from it.


1. It’s possible to be happy anywhere.
Since I was young, I always imagined the key to living a perfect, happy life was to live it in a large city, with lots of opportunities, and lots of people. I don’t know where I got this idea, but it’s been pretty much attacked, in of course the most courteous way possible, by Parks and Rec. Of COURSE you don’t need a bustling urban environment to feel fulfilled in your life. What you need is comfort, support, and a strong will. Pawnee was commonly described as a bit of a dump, so what kept all these people there and so willing to make it thrive? All of those things--comfort, support, and the strongest will a tiny fictional town could ever display.


2. Community is important.
There is no way Leslie Knope can live her life or do her job to her fullest potential (which is very, very full) without the community of Pawnee. This isn’t to say that Pawnee was always displayed as tame and encouraging. But it was its absurdities that led to ideas that made the city thrive--the Harvest Festival, the time capsule, the Unity Concert. All of these inspiring events came from the wackiness of the citizens of Pawnee, who, when united, became a glowing example for any town in America--one that represents resilience, determination, and lots and lots of love.


3. Nice people exist, and they will always be there to help you.
I recently made the transition from my senior year of high school to my freshman year of college, and one of the first things I noticed--on my very first day of orientation--was that good people do exist, even if they didn’t in the pitfalls of the Oakland Unified School District. Parks and Recreation exemplifies this idea of “nice people” so incredibly well, better, I would argue, than any piece of media in the history of the world. My favorite scene in the entire series comes in the end of a later episode of season six, wherein Leslie and Ben come into work and tell the department that they’re expecting triplets. Without missing a beat, each one of the employees pipes in with something they can contribute--babysitting, preschool access, a homemade crib, general child-bearing supplies. The people in this parks department, though sometimes portrayed as sadistic, pessimistic, sarcastic people, have such an inherent goodness in their hearts and are more than ready to step up when their friends need them. You can’t beat that.


Parks and Rec gives me hope. It lets me believe that comedy can be made from loving situations, and that that comedy can be easily turned into lessons, lessons that are incredibly necessary given the society that we live in today. Something in each one of those precious characters has made me want to be a better person, and made me feel the need to be a better person--to help my friends, to help people I don’t know, and to, most of all, stay positive when all else is negative.


I cannot thank you and your cast and your writers and directors and crew and craft services employees for the impact this show has made on me. I owe at least half of my happiness to Parks and Recreation and while I’m sad that I have to see it off after next year, I am honored to have been a dedicated fan and to have experienced the growth I have from watching it all these years. I hope this final season serves you well, and I wish you the best in your further ventures. Parks may well be over in a year, but my goodness will it live on forever.


Thanks very much,

Rozzie

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