Leslie & Ann - Friendship

Rosie the Riveter and a female astronaut. Galentine's!

Since my retirement, I've been going through many phases, or as I used to call them, hair brained schemes. I have documented my artistic forays, and my blog post output is on the rise. Some of these phases are continuations of love affairs that I have for certain things, like Leslie Knope. Okay, that's the main character of a late 2000s t.v. show called Parks and Recreation. For the people in the blogosphere that are still confused, Chris Pratt got his start here, and as a special feature he manifested a phone call from Steven Spielberg about Jurassic World II. So, once, again, I have something amazing that I cannot contribute to its correct owner, because, I wrote down the words, but not the title of the YouTube video I stole it from. Here it is: 

Leslie and Ann's arc throughout the (first) season ends on a hopeful note, even if their romantic aspirations are both dashed. What's more important than them finding love, is they found each other and form a friendship that will last throughout the rest of Parks and Recreation and reveals that Parks and Recreation was not about how these two women found love but how they found their best friend.

And that's what I love about Parks and Recreation: that it celebrates all types of love, especially between women. Here is a quote from the lovely Rashida Jones (Ann):

Most girls have friends that are like, that's awesome, you're great, how, how can I help you? How can I support your life and make you a better person, or what can we talk about to make you feel better about your own life?

And, yes, most girls do have friends like that. Life friends. I am lucky in that I have two automatic friends that go by the more family-oriented term "sisters", but I have attracted some great friends over the years.

I'm thinking of a particular old
friend that ended up being my
birthing partner!

When you go through a major transition, usually this means adding joy and more love to a life: marriage, birth, anniversaries, college, moving, bringing someone home to dinner. These are the moments that mark a life. But there are other transitions that are not as joyous: divorce, death, health concerns and, to a certain extent, retirement. Well, I can say that those not so cool life events are really working as a team to make my life quite the endurance contest. Well, I am pleased to report that my team of friends are helping and supporting and making me a better person. By just talking, and being there.

The background of this scene is, Leslie is clinically
unable to give a gift that isn't thoughtful and time-
consuming, so her friend made her wedding gown
out of her political good press!

It takes a long time to grow an old friend. I am glad mine are old! I am glad I am old. And retired. And sick, divorcing and still grieving the loss of my best friend ever, my mom. She is giving me the determination I need every day, along with the still living friends. I couldn't choose my mother, but if I could, I would certainly never be able to improve upon the one I was lucky enough to get. I can and did chose my friends, and I would never be able to improve upon the ones I was lucky enough to get.

Bonus friends: April and Donna! Girl squad!

Luck o'the Irish.