If there is one thing I would like to tell the world about Mark Lewis, it was that he had presence. The second would be that he could make you feel loved with just a single word: hello.
I was first graced by Mark’s presence when I was in the 1st grade. Mark came and told a Halloween story at my elementary school. The experience is a foggy childhood memory but from what I can recall he told a fabulously spooky tale with his signature sound effects and incredible delivery. I had actually forgotten all about that story time session until he later told the same story as I sat in his class my junior year of college. The experience was so familiar I knew it had to be more than deja-vu. That’s when I pieced it together and realized he was the amazing storyteller from my childhood. Mark’s stories were just that powerful.
The first time I ever met Mark Lewis as an adult, he made me cry.
It was my first day in his class, J408 Presentations Workshop, and all he was asking me to do was stand and say my name. You see, I am not shy, nor did I think when I signed up for his class that I was even that scared of public speaking. But as my turn to stand and speak got closer and closer I could feel my face getting hotter and hotter, my heart rate quickening, and my skin beginning to turn red as it tends to do when I panic. With Mark’s encouragement I stood, said my bit, and sat back down. Tears welled in my eyes as I frantically thought to myself, “What the hell is wrong with me right now? This should not be so difficult!” My internal freak out was soon put to rest. Once the entire class had introduced themselves Mark looked around the table and said, at a slow and comforting pace, “That was probably more difficult than many of you expected. That’s okay, because this stuff is hard. The good news is that you can do it. And I believe in you.”
From that moment on Mark became one of the most inspirational and prolific professors I have ever had the chance to learn from. He taught me how to own my name. He taught me to ground myself. He taught me the power of a handshake. He did so much more than teach a public speaking course. He taught people how to be human, and how to make it count.
Mark had a way of seeing who people were, right down to their core. He could see past the “I’m fine” walls that people sometimes put up, and make you feel like it was okay to feel and be vocal about it. Mark taught kindness and compassion by example and he encouraged students to stand up for themselves, others, and what was right.
Mark also knew how to push people to the very edge of their capabilities without going over the edge. His coaching style was phenomenal; always inspiring vulnerability, humility, and passion for the work at hand. When you did something great, it was “right in the pocket”. When you celebrated your win it was met with a, “You go, girl.” He was an advocate for breathing deeply, and looking people in the eye. He was a light, a joy, and an unforgettable soul.
Mark. Thank you so much. I will never forget you.
“When in your life you feel clouds in your face
and you’re down in the dumps feeling blue like this case,
and it feels like manure is all over the place,
Think of this, said the Vegetable Lady,
The thing to remember when you’re feeling low is
Bad stuff, it’s going to happen.
But it helps you to grow.
So learn from it, thank it, and soon you will know you’ll be better from it.”
The Art of Brain Tickling 