Happiness Level Four

The Kansas City Star reported on a special graduation ceremony held for a terminally-ill high-school student:

Connor Olson graduated from Tonganoxie High School on Thursday. He was the only graduate.

He brought his parents, his grandma — and his hospice nurse.

Connor has spent an exhaustive year fighting bone cancer, with one round of chemo, radiation and surgery after another. Forty weeks in the hospital over the last year.

His condition worsened in recent weeks. Then, over the weekend, the 18-year-old, newly minted Eagle Scout suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left side and left him largely unable to speak.

On Wednesday, the principal and faculty of the school arranged a spur-of-the-moment graduation ceremony for Connor because he never took his eyes off the prize.

His diploma.

I was moved by several aspects of this story:

1. The young man’s hospice nurse, who joined him on stage and administered the morphine.  He couldn’t have experienced the ceremony without his nurse present throughout.
2. The students’ support, shown in their presence, cheers and hugs.
3. His last word before leaving, which was “home.”

There is not much solace when a young person succumbs to a painful and debilitating disease like bone cancer. I suspect we will have to wait until we are face-to-face with our Lord before we will understand completely.

Jesus offered some words that provide healing: “I go to prepare a place for you,” and, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  These words direct us heavenward, where our thoughts don’t normally go.

We live and think in our world, our skin.  Our hopes tend to be earthly, such as children and spouse relationship health, financial shape, and meaning within our vocation.  Heavenly concerns don’t gain traction in our day-to-day, minute-to-minute race.

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.”  That is the Psalmist talking there.  It sounds like good wisdom, and freshness within a temporary life.  I think my friends who are at the end of their lives agree.

It is a good thing to say it loud, to say, “Lord, teach me to number my days.”  To practice it is to understand that our speech has power to make one wise.

Robert Spitzer, at Gonzaga, organized happiness into four levels.  Level one is basic happiness, such as eating when we are hungry.  Level two is better, because it something only humans can do, such as setting and attaining goals.  Level three is special because it is attainable only to those who sacrifice for another.  But level four is the only happiness level that doesn’t have a corresponding “unhappiness.”  Level four is knowing God.  Really knowing the Creator.

I recommend Brother Lawrence’s “Practicing His Presence,” for those wishing to know God in a way where there is open and honest communication with Him.  It is a fast read that pushes the reader into putting down the book and beginning a life of dialogue with the One who is preparing a place for them.