What is it about ghost stories that intrigues us?
Picture by Earl 35
I love hearing people’s tales about bumps in the night and figures appearing. I am willing to watch Ghost Adventures and other shows like it for the chance to see or hear something. When people show me pictures with those orbs of light, I am hooked. I know what is there and I wonder who it is.
You might even say I get really gullible when it comes to these things. People can tell me all sorts of spooky stories and chances are I am going to believe them.
My husband is inclined the other way. There is not a ghost story he can’t poke a hole through. For him, ghosts are non-existent. And anyone who tells them can be found to be unreliable as a source. This is when being a journalist who needs cold hard facts is a bad thing.
I know ghosts exist but I cannot prove it. I have known them since I was a kid and the ghost in our house would knock stuff down. I have known they existed when I would see weird things out of the corner of my eye. I knew it when I heard my recently dead dog wag her tail on the floor of my husband’s closet where she always slept.
I heard the dog and I felt her presence. I told her that we were fine and she could move on to doggy heaven. Soon after, I no longer heard her or felt her in the house. I hope she is chasing all of the rabbits she can find.
A few weeks ago, Patty told a great story about seeing another bicyclist on the road. When she looks back for him, the man with the white bicycle is gone. It sounded similar to the Resurrection Mary story in my neck of the woods but without the trip to the house. In her story was the sense that someone was looking over her, being a protective force.
Recently, someone told me a story about how they have working on restoring their house. There is a lot of sanding and floor replacement to do. Once they are done the house will be restored to total grandeur.
As this person is working on the back stairs, they happen to look up and there is a man sitting on the top half of the stairs. He is watching the work go on and says nothing. The storyteller asks him for advice as to how to get the old water stain out of the wood but there is no answer forth coming.
While I am in this house for a tour, I hear a noise and a light that I am pretty sure had been turned off is on again. The storyteller feels as though the house is happy to be reborn, to have its past delights re-worked to shine once more.
Picture by Wallyir
Not all ghosts are bad, they simply do not want to leave the place where they have been happy. So they linger in their home or in a church or other places.
Is my house haunted? You betcha, it is by the former piano teacher of my town. I feel her every now and again. Sometimes when I am singing or need to pick out songs for choir, I feel her right there.
Just don’t tell my husband cause he will never believe it.
Rumbly, I am with you 100%. I swear I would hear my beloved dog, Lina, snort after she died. One afternoon, I remember thinking she was with me, and I looked outside to where she used to sit, under her favorite tree. I swear – swear – I saw her. Of course, when I did a double take, she was gone.
Loved this post.
~ Lenore
I have sworn I saw Flash going up the stairs. I think she comes back for a visit every now and again too. Our new dog doesn’t seem to sense her, and I thought dogs were supposed to be able to do that.
Our two dogs did, Rumbly! Again, I swear. Wilbur and Cherokee knew Lina was there – they reacted much like I did.
Our Irish Setter knew when Miss Brossman was around, wouldn’t go through the cold spot in the hall. The Dobermann either didn’t sense her or chose to ignore her.
That is true. We have been told that Storm is part Doberman. Wonder if that is something with the breed.
I don’t remember a cold spot in the hallway.
I’m convinced my parents’ house is haunted! (not mine, ‘cuz that would be too scary; me living alone and all) I totally believe in ghosts, just because I like to believe that my loved ones (including my dogs spotty, blacky and beauty) who have passed are still looking out for me….then again, I must admit I have a vivid imagination. I always wondered whether my imaginary friend growing up was just that or a ghost…?!
I guess the imaginary friend could have been a ghost but you never know, do you?
The cold spot was right at the bottom of the stairs. Rusty would slink around into the dining room to get to the kitchen. And he wouldn’t go upstairs if she was active, even though he loved sleeping in our beds. You and Kenn tried dragging him. No go.
To Coco, yes they are. Karyn, 3 of your cousins had “gummy bear experiences” last Tuesday. Aunt Barbara’s favorite.
Do you remember the time she died. I was wondering if it was 5 minutes before 3. That is the only 5/3 connection I have.
After my beloved cat died, I could still feel him jump up on my bed from time to time. I totally believe in ghosts. I grew up in a 100 year old house. I have so many ghost stories, I could write a book. My grandfather died there (in my bedroom no less) Also my great grandmother. We’ve had things move from room to room. One picture of my great Gram holding her violin used to reappear in various places throughout the house (and my brothers swore they weren’t playing tricks, they were just as freaked out by it) I’ve heard whispers, voices when no one was there. One night, I had a middle school friend sleep over and we were woken up at 1 am by the sound of wet boots tramping into the kitchen, then down the stairs into our basement. Being only 12, I jumped up to investigate. I peered downstairs, no one was there. My dog was looking up at the ceiling whimpering and wagging her tail like she saw something. the next day I told my mom and she said, “Oh, that was my dad. He used to keep his fishing tackle box in the basement, he was probably returning from some hunting, fishing trip so that’s why his boots sounded like that.” Makes you wonder, was that him or just some kind of memory imprinted in that house. Either way, I do believe in spirits, I’ve seen them, heard them all of my life.
Like you have seen and heard things that can only be described as a ghost. In fact I have had one with me whole life. I usually only see him when things are not great in my life. There was a house I lived in with the ex where I am pretty sure he kept us safe from the no-so-benign beings. There was something nasty in the basement and a joker on the main floor.
In this same house I saw another apparition…he was standing over my ex in a very concerned way, like he was just making sure he was okay.
In college, we had a ghost that was just somewhat annoying and slightly mean-spirited. She stayed in a two room area. She often opened cupboards, slammed doors, messed with my roommates stereo. She would stand at the kitchen door looking towards the living room. One of my other roommates, says that she saw my ghost (the one that follows me) in that house. She described him to a “T” without a description from me.
Our current home…no real exciting. I see movement out of the corner of my eye, but that is about it.
Is that a ghost or your guardian angel?
I think he is my guardian angel. I haven’t seen him in years so things must be really good 🙂
love this. and, am totally in agreement. there’s definitely someone upstairs at our house, but who? never thought maybe it’s someone’s beloved pet. that’d be nice.
Great topic. I used to believe in ghosts, and would like to again, but I’m with your husband on this one. The problem is that I don’t have the experiences you and your other readers seem to have — and I didn’t have them when I was a believer, either. If I had more money than I needed, I would spend at least part of my time investigating some of these amazing claims. Proof of life after death: I’d love a little evidence. Who wouldn’t?
I have felt the coldness and heard noises in the past. The house I grew up in was definetely haunted but by a fairly benign ghost. The day I heard a tail thumping on the floor, in the usual place for the usual reason, without a dog in the house I freaked a little until I realized who it was. That is my only proof.