Monday, August 3, 2015

What Ben & Leslie From Parks & Rec Taught Me About Love



Parks and Rec is one of my favorite comedy TV shows. EVER. Everything about this show was perfect. Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza...EVERYONE was stellar in their roles. It had some of the most unique and fiercely lovable characters in TV history and every episode was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Oh P&R, how I miss you dearly.

One of the greatest parts of the show (did I mention the writing is GENIUS?!) were the relationships. Leslie (Amy) and Ann (Rashida) are #friendshipgoals if there ever was any. Ben (Adam) and Chris (Rob) are one of the best #bromance 's out there. And don't even get me started on the hilariousness of Donna/Tom, Leslie/April, or the entire group as serious #squadgoals. And while I looooved April/Andy and Chris/Ann, the BEST couple on the show is Leslie & Ben.

Leslie and Ben have one of the best relationships on television. Seriously, they give me hope for real love still existing. While other couples on TV are cheating, betraying, fighting, abandoning, ignoring, or hurting each other, Leslie and Ben stand strong as fiercely loyal, sweet, endearing and supportive of each other. Basically, although their relationship is not perfect, they work through it, and continue to be loving, understanding, and supportive of each other, no matter what. They are always putting each other first and striving to make the other person happy. Seriously, there isn't a better example of love out there.

What Ben & Leslie Taught me About Love


LOVE this scene when they're in Paris
1. They Do Romance

Ben and Leslie are always being cute and romantic. However big or small, it keeps their relationship strong.



2. They remind each other what they love about the other.



3. Even though it's sometimes hard, they tell each other how they feel.

Ben and Leslie are open and honest about their feelings, because they've created a trusting relationship in which they feel safe to do so. This is SUPER important in ALL relationships. Even if they don't necessarily like what the other person has to say or disagree with them, they still talk it out, even if it takes Leslie a couple minutes to calm down. ;) Bottling emotions is bad news and that pressure is bound to explode sometime, and usually in a very messy way.



4. They do whatever it takes to make the other smile




5. They devote time to each other and their relationship

Even though they both have great jobs and lots of responsibilities they always make the effort and time to be together. 



6. They tell each other most everything


Whether it's Leslie's attraction to Joe Bidden or Ben's secret obsession to make calzones a legitimate thing, they tell each other everything! Honesty is always the best policy. 



7. They are constantly supporting and lightening the other's load

They know that they can't be great without the support of each other. 


8. They are each other's biggest cheerleaders

Seriously, it's all amounts of adorable to watch how devoted and happily they cheer each other on. 


9. They goof off and look stupid together.

They laugh together and they goof off together and they never make each other feel stupid. I just love it. 


10. They are amazing FRIENDS which make them even better partners.




11. They are straight with each other when needs be.

Sometimes you just really need someone to tell it to you how it is. That's love.


12. They do everything they can to make the other's dreams come true.

They will do whatever it takes to make each other's dreams come true and I love it. Even if it seems impossible, they find a way to make it happen, however crazy it might be.

BEST REACTION EVER. 
This might be one of my favorite moments of theirs!!




13. They dance with each other



14. They know how to execute a perfect *couples* costume.

Princess Bride, could they really get anymore *perfect*?!?! The answer is no. 


15. Their wedding was really about them as a couple, not the show of a wedding.

I Looooove their wedding. Of course everything goes wrong and something happens to Leslie's dress, so they fashion one out of the newspapers from all of her major projects. In the end, they just get married in from of all their friends in the Parks Dept. because of course they did.




16. They protect each other

They are always protecting each other. When Ben and Ann (Leslie's best friend) fear that Leslie's got too much on her plate, they band together and make sure that her function goes smoothly. I love this scene, where they're talking about their "secret signal" and such. Sooo funny!



17. They compliment each other. 




 18. They are genuinely PROUD of each other. And show it.

Seriously, they are always so PROUD of each other and it makes me smile. How are they so cute?!


19. They accept each others apologies. Always.

They are never purposefully mean or cruel to each other, but if they hurt each others feelings, they always apologize and they always forgive.


20. They share meals together

Couples that eat together stay together.


21. They make each other thoughtful gifts

They are always so thoughtful with each other, for everything. But I love how thoughtful their gifts are to each other. They always take the time to really think about each other, it's that action that makes their gifts so amazing, not the actual "gifts" part. Some of the best moments of the show are watching them trying to "out gift" each other, even though everyone should just accept that Leslie Knope is THE BEST. EVER.


22. Everything about this.



23. They always say 'I love you'.

I love this about them. They never speak ill of or to each other. They are always kind and they always say "I love you', which are they three most important words in the history of words. Despite the fact that they already know that they love each other, they still take the time to say it. Because they are the best.









AND OF COURSE THE PROPOSAL SCENE:

If you didn't cry during the proposal scene, YOU ARE NOT HUMAN. Maybe one of the sweetest proposals in the history of proposals. 











Thanks Ben and Leslie for showing us that true love still exists. It was looking a little dicey for a while in TV land... (Olivia and Fitz, I'm looking at you.)


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