I've always loved ghost stories and scary movies. The first book I remember ever reading was Wicked John and the Devil when I was in first grade? My sister and I read scary books, including Dracula, as kids. One book entitled Moira or Maura (we neither one can remember the spelling) was a favorite of ours. We've both searched for a copy since we've been adults but haven't been able to find one. (Would any of you happen to know this book?)
I'm a big fan of Stephen King, Dan Simmons, Caitlyn R. Kiernan, Shirley Jackson, and several lesser scary book writers.
I like scary movies too--but not the kind where some big ugly guy with a chain saw runs around dismembering teenagers. I like scary movies like "The Shining," "The Uninvited" (the old one starring Ray Miland and Ruth Hussey), "The Exorcist," "The Turn of the Screw," "The Sixth Sense," and lots of others.
So do I believe in ghosts? I don't know. I believe there is more in Heaven and Earth than is dreamt of in our philosophy (apologies to Shakespeare). But as far as dead people floating around trying to scare us, I don't know about that. I believe there might be some kind of invisible quantum energy left behind when a person dies--maybe not with everybody but with some, for whatever reason. That energy could interact with visible objects, even with people. And if this does exist, I believe it's a very natural phenomenon--or at least a link between the natural and the supernatural.
I've never actually seen a ghost, but I did live in a haunted house once. It was when my kids were adolescents, so I suppose our problem could have been poltergeists, a phenomenon that is often associated with adolescents. Again, I believe that poltergeists, if they are real, are some kind of quantum energy or particles that we just don't see or understand. Not spirits at all.
Whatever it was haunting my house wasn't dangerous and it hardly ever scared us, although it did have the power to startle us from time to time. It would plop down on the foot of the bed at night just before we would fall asleep. That was pretty unnerving. The plumbing would scream in the middle of the night until somebody got up and turned on a faucet somewhere. Often something would drop very loudly (like someone dropping a stack of books) right behind one of us, startling the heck out of the victim. But that's about it. None of us ever felt an evil presence or threatened in any way.
In another house, I had a toilet that would flush itself at random times during the day and night. But the most recent otherworldly experiences have been this year, in this house. Not too long after Vann passed away, I noticed that the lamp on his side of the bed would light itself many times when I came into the room. I turned it off the first couple of times this happened, but finally decided that I would let it burn. Sometimes I'd come back later and the lamp would be off, even though I hadn't touched it. Only one time did it come on in the middle of the night and woke me up. I did turn it off that time.
This went on for about six months. It hasn't happened since late winter, maybe February or early March. I'm perfectly aware that something in the atmosphere, some electrical charge, could have been causing the lamp to light itself. But I believe it's possible it could have been something else.
I do know, I mean I really know, that some invisible part of Vann's visited me at least once. It was the morning he passed away. I blogged about it on September 13, if you would like to read about it. You can believe it or not. I wouldn't blame you if you don't. I don't just believe it. I know it was him. The lamp, I'm not so sure. After all, the lamp came from the thrift store and is probably from the 50s or 60s. Who knows what that lamp has been through. Even if the lamp lightings were paranormal, they could have had nothing to do with Vann.
How about you all? Have you ever lived in a haunted house? Have you ever seen a ghost or felt an invisible presence, or had anything unexplained happen to you?
This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.
On 04/15/2010, molly said ...
We had a ghost when we lived in Austin(2000-2001). She was a little Mexican toddler with black curls and a hunter green dress that came down below her knees. I'd always see her in the same place, in a corner of our hallway right in front of our bedroom door. When I'd try to focus on her to get a better look, she'd vanish. She didn't move around so it may have been some sort of residual image from some other time, I don't know. But I'm a FIRM believer!!
I have more experience with psychic events than ghosts. Like a few weeks ago I was collecting the girls from a friend's house in another town. Its a nice drive through the country and as I was rounding a corner I had the thought that I should look for a dead deer. I've been driving this road for over 25 years and have NEVER seen a deer on it at all. Not 20 yards up, there was a dead deer on the side of the road. Weird, and I do this sort of thing frequently.
Molly
On 04/15/2010, Kelly Ann said ...
maybe the lamp coming on is Vance...he's just letting you know that he's watching over you and always with you...
On 04/15/2010, Kelly Ann said ...
dang susie....VANN...my fingers are not connected to my brain this morning...
On 04/15/2010, ~Tonya said ...
Hi Susan,
I am a believer, that there is more. More what, do we really know? So many things have happened in my 36 years, some believable, others you try to figure out another reason for it. Like you with the lamp....yes, I suppose it could be the lamp is old, but you can not help but wonder, it is on Vann's side of the bed. Maybe that is his way of saying Hello, like Molly said. No matter, he is always with you.
I have had a TV unplug from behind an entertainment stand and solid up against a wall and no room to move...not to mention very heavy and big. I have had drawers/door open and close. Lights on and off, sounds that you can not explain and a dog that could see something....what, who knows. But I do believe there is something else. I now gave myself the big ol GOOSEBUMPS! HA! I do not live in that house any more, but they say that things like that happen, if there is a spirit left behind and if you are remodeling, which we were....you just never know. The moment we were done remodeling, it quit....but we started another room later and it started all over again. Needless to say, it was a house that was only built in 1971 (a very nice house) and we were already the 4th owners and when we purchased it, that was in 1990, only 21 years old and it had already had 4 owners. Makes you wonder if others had experiences something too.
I enjoyed your post Susan and now since I have written a novel, I think I can be on my way. Oh and your older post, I believe it was Vann and how you explained it. Like Molly, I have "feelings" that I can not ignore and most of them always are correct, what I have seen or feelings of what is coming. I could go on and on.
Have a great day, Susan.
~Tonya
On 04/15/2010, Barbara Anne said ...
Hi Susan,
I agree there is more mystery in this world than many folks are comfortable acknowledging.
I've always had a 6th sense about all sorts of events. When my father died at just before 2am one morning in 1983, he came to me in the bedroom of my aunt's home. I awakened and knew more clearly than I've ever known anything that he was there. I couldn't see anything or anyone, but he was there. I spoke to him briefly, then he was gone just as the mantle clock struck 2am. When Mom called from the hospital at 6am she told me he died just before 2am and I told her I knew.
I think the lamp turning on or off was a greeting. Lamplight is warm and friendly.
Mystery books appeal to me but I don't like scary books like The Shining. You may have them with my blessings! I used to read science fiction like Stranger Than Fiction or Stranger than Science and the Betty and Barney Hill story along with my Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames books.
Hugs!
On 04/15/2010, Jan said ...
What an interesting topic Susan! My encounter has been here at our office, and it wasn't actually "my" encounter ... it was experienced by everyone else who worked here; and they each and everyone swear, swear and triple swear that we have a ghost! They all claim that at night, he slams doors, walks back and forth, flushes the toilet and on and on and on. When they come upstairs to check, everything is silent. One morning, our Secretary said he was so active, she went outside to wait for someone else to get here ... she said she could see a light thru the window moving back and forth and even captured it on her cell phone camera. The photo is quite bizarre. If he is here, he's never let himself be known to me. I can't read or watch anything scary, so perhaps he knows that! Who knows, if it is real, it might be a she :) One of our guys says it's our Daughter, Micki; but our Engineer said it can't be cuz he's been here longer than she's been in Heaven.
The only other time was at our house about 15 years ago. I was making the bed and all of a sudden, the music started playing on a small carousel windup musical statue that was sitting on our dresser. I remember it being really disturbing at the time, but I eventually got over it.
Love the flowers in the wagon below! Have a good day :)
On 04/15/2010, Denise in PA said ...
Hi Susan, I believe some people are more sensitive to phenomena than others. My mother is very sensitive and has had many experiences. I've only had two that even come close to "paranormal"l; one was particularly frightening.
On 04/15/2010, Laurie said ...
I blogged about my experiences last year, Susan, here and here
I think it's wonderful that Vann connected you that way when he went on ahead of you. I do wonder what's going on with that lamp!
On 04/15/2010, WendyC said ...
My late father has spoken to me twice since he died over 20 years ago, once to help with a car problem and once to tell me off. No-one will ever convince me it wasn't his voice I heard.
On 04/15/2010, Joanne said ...
My daughter and I always disagreed about which TV shows to watch. She passed away in 2000. When I watch TV, I usually have the remote lying on the arm of the sofa. For a couple of years after she passed, often when I'd be watching TV, the channel would switch to something she would want to watch instead. The first time it happened, I was startled, but began to think it was funny.
On 04/15/2010, KAI said ...
I recall telling you once that my grandfather has visited me since he crossed over in 1960. My people believe that we never go far from those we care for - our spirits remain nearby in case we are needed. While he doesn't come to me as often as he did for the first 20 years, he still visits me. Do I see him? No. But I feel him & literally know his voice. My grandmother has visited, too, as has my Aunt Adeca. And last year, the spirit of one who crossed over in a 'bad' way came to me with some words I really NEEDED to hear. Ghosts or spirits are not frightening to me. I can't STAND scary movies or books - but it is never the spirit stories that frighten me; only the stories/movies about LIVE people who are evil. I KNOW Vann was visiting you, and I'm guessing he was with you much more often than even you realized. He loved you so much - he still DOES - and so he will be around you whenever you need him to be! Incidentally, I used to belong to a Yahoo group, and I shared some of my thoughts on this once (when people were discussing it) and was called some pretty distubing things BECAUSE of it. I'm SO GLAD I have found friends who are more open-minded. LOVE YOU!
On 04/16/2010, Rian said ...
I love all that scary stuff. I believe we humans are very limited by our earthly senses. There has to be more. I have been "visited" by the departed.
I never saw a ghost, but my mother did.
I have heard that you can bring spirits into your house with buying antiques. A good friend had this happen to her. The whole family saw this ghost. Kinda wierd, huh.
On 04/16/2010, Gayle said ...
I was really touched by your September 13 post. After serving for 3 1/2 years as a hospital chaplain, I understand completely. Have you ever read the book Final Gifts? It's a favorite among hospital chaplains.
-----
No comments:
Post a Comment