The Life and Relationships of Mark Hennin


The life of Mark Hennin was one defined by his relationships with others, rather than his accomplishments or achievements, because relationships were what was most important to him. Being able to spend time with his friends and family were more important to him than anything else in his life, and regardless of his accomplishments, that time spent was what defined how well-fulfilled his life truly was. Mark always believed that relationships were crucial to living a life well-lived, because they allow the give and take that is necessary for life. Having someone there to listen to your issues and emotions, and also being there to console and advise someone else on their problems are keys to any good relationship, and is something that Mark believed everyone needed in life. The idea can best be summarized with the quote, “I wish I had a magic wand to pass over your pain.” (“Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion” by Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven) Having someone there to empathize with you in your problems is what everyone needs in life, and what Mark valued a lot.
While Mark valued his time with others greatly, he never took for granted the time he spent alone. Self-reflection was a key part to Mark’s life, and it allowed him to control his stress by taking a step back and evaluate everything that was happening in his busy life. As Pico Iyer says, “To me, the point of sitting still is that it helps you see through the very idea of pushing forward; indeed, it strips you of yourself, as of a coat of armor, by leading you into a place where you’re defined by something larger.” (“Why We Need to Slow Down Our Lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) This idea was something that Mark lived his life by, and it allowed him to destress and achieve all of the great things he did before he passed away. 
	One of the things Mark was well known for was stepping out of his comfort zone. Whether it was with his career choices, meeting new people, or simply trying new hobbies, Mark would never shy away from new opportunities in his life. As Dr. Donald Super wrote, “You have to know yourself first - your values, interests, personality, and skills (VIPS) - before you can make effective career choices. The only way to know more about yourself is to test the waters - just get out and experience life!” (“Navigating Your Career Journey - Moreau First Year Experience Course” by Dr. Donald Super - Moreau FYE Week Four) Mark followed these ideas within his own life, as he switched majors early in his college career at Notre Dame, and even later in his career when he switched career paths. Mark was never afraid of a new challenge because he believed that new challenges are how one fulfills their life.
	One major challenge that Mark faced throughout his life was stress. While he valued self-reflection as a great way to relieve stress, he noted that there were some times when self-reflection still didn’t do the trick, given how much he had on his plate. It reminds me of a finding that explains this very idea. “But to my astonishment, our data told the exact opposite story. The people who scored high on self-reflection were more stressed, depressed and anxious, less satisfied with their jobs and relationships, more self-absorbed, and they felt less in control of their lives.” (“The Right Way to be Introspective” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week 6) While Mark wasn’t a self-absorbed or depressed person, it was clear that he dealt with a lot of stress in his life. He mentioned that when self-reflection didn’t help him, he turned to his relationships for guidance. His parents were always just a phone call away to help him in times of need, and talking to them allowed him to relieve his stress and regain the confidence he needed to be successful.
	An aspect of Mark’s life that he was most proud of was his work in creating equal opportunities within the business world. Inspired by a quote describing the work of a Domer Dozen Nominee named Jessica Pedroza, which read, “Now, as a legislative assistant in the office of Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ), Pedroza works to help advance just national K-12 educational policy that ensures students have access to a high quality education, fully funded schools, and diverse teachers.” (“Notre Dame Alumni Association’s “Domer Dozen”” by Jessica Pedroza - Moreau FYE Week Two) Inspired by Pedroza’s work within the education industry, Mark created equal opportunity programs within the business world that provided students from low-income communities with unique internship and career opportunities in business. 
	One relationship Mark valued above all was the relationship he had with his father. The two were very similar in nature, competitive, driven, and goofy. They shared many of the same interests and were always very close. Mark’s father knew Mark had so many talents and thus set a high standard for him, whether that was in school, sports, or his career. Mark talks about this in a reflection of a conversation he had with his father, where he writes, “The other part of the conversation that I felt had great significance was when I asked my dad what is something that is difficult to say but important for me to hear and he told me that he was very proud of me. This wasn’t a big shock to me, but I really did need to hear that. My dad does a great job of pushing me to achieve my goals, but often times, I feel like I don’t meet his expectations because he sets them so high.” (“Discernment Conversation Activity” by Mark Hennin - Moreau FYE Week 5) Mark realized that even if it isn’t said a lot, his father would always be proud of him, and he mentioned that if his father hadn’t set such a high bar for him early in life, he wouldn’t have truly lived life to his full potential.
	While Mark’s father played a big role in his successes in life, that doesn’t mean that there weren’t others who helped him as well. Mark mentioned that anyone ranging from his friends, family, coaches, to even teachers helped push him in the right direction in his life, and without them, he wouldn’t have lived the life he did. It is reminiscent of a quote from Fr. Michael Himes that says, “Look for the task that will continue to stretch you. That’s all important in discerning that really vital vocation in one’s life. Are you continuing to grow? To help us discern what our talents and gifts are, we need a circle of friends (parents, teachers, coaches, etc.).” (“Three Key Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes, Moreau FYE Week Three) Mark attributed these relationships to much of his success and happiness in life. Overall, what Mark wanted us to understand about his life was that in order to truly have a life well lived, you need to have relationships and value those relationships, just as he did.