It is impossible to write something about Lew without feeling that whatever one describes leads to recalling other accomplishments that should certainly not be left out. What an amazing presence – an amazing energy – a pivotal leader in so many of our professional organizations who handled all this with the determination of a (highly refined) bulldog. He was unstoppable.

The Energizer Bunny is the marketing icon and mascot of Energizer batteries in the U.S. and Canada. It is a pink mechanical toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and blue and black striped sandals that beats a bass drum – and keeps going and going and going. I used to tease Lew about the likeness between the two of them – and would actually feel that he must have access to a source of energy that was denied to the rest of us. The Director of NYU’s Postdoctoral Program, IARPP’s first president, prolific author, international lecturer, a wizard at expanding the publication reach of relational writings, etc., etc. But the aspects of that “bunny” image that move me most when I think of Lew are the sunglasses – and especially the striped sandals.

There was the guitar – and Lew’s love of Eric Clapton. Frankly he didn’t look like the type, but that did not stop him. He felt like the type. And there was his lovable impishness, an unending supply of good will and ease of connecting – not just with others who had attained fame in the field but with everyone who needed a hand. Anyone might be wearing those sandals.

I have heard countless stories over the years of his warm and generous response to students who needed some support, to colleagues who lacked confidence in being published. I have personally appreciated his willingness over the years to provide me with exact references for material I could recall reading but had no clue where. And he would provide those references within about 5 minutes of receiving my email! Lew embodied the “mutuality” about which he wrote. He could find in himself the capacity to warmly engage with so many different kinds of people – engage in a way where people felt truly met, that he grasped their strengths, appreciated their unique qualities – he “got them.”

Lew seemed unstoppable. Until now –

In his honor, let us all don our sunglasses and sandals and march on. We need to hold onto his kind of presence in our world.

Love to Lew,

Margaret Black Mitchell (USA), Vice-President

Margaret Black Mitchell, LCSW (USA)
Email Margaret Black Mitchell