Do You Believe in Ghosts?

• You experience a momentary chill
• The sound of footsteps echo throughout your house when you are home alone
• A door shuts or even opens on its own
• Your normally quiet dog is barking at what seems to be nothing
• The light in your room, that is broken, suddenly comes to life without the flip of a switch
• Someone taps your shoulder and yet when turn to find the culprit no one is there
• You see someone walk past out of the corner of your eye only to find you are the only one

     My daughter, Hope, when she was around 4 years old came rushing into the backroom of our new home.  The look on her face was enough for me to know something had frightened her. After picking her up in a warm hug she began to relax and explained her sudden alarm.  "Mama I never want to go into the dining room again." Knowing that all the shades were open in the room she had been so quietly coloring in as I unpacked boxes, my thoughts immediately turned to someone peaking in the windows.  However, that was not the story she told.  "I...I..I was coloring a picture for you to put on our new fridgerator".  I listened intently wondering where this was going.  "Then it happened mama". Of course I was still not sure of what she was talking about, so I asked her what had happened...thinking maybe she had spilled something or wrote on the table. "She kept saying 'Hi Hope'". Yep I was lost; I was clueless as to whom she was speaking about, but I, of course, asked. "The little girl kept saying 'hi' to me, and....and..and I could not see her". Well that was enough for me to walk in the dining room and look around.  Maybe the little neighbor boy had come into the house.  Hope went on to tell me that this little girl lived here first, but likes having other people around.     

     I am not a skeptic...I do believe that spirits still walk among us.  Because of this, I decided to make a phone call to a friend of mine, who I knew could help.  We learned so much - the little girl's name is Emily and she is 6 years old.  She hangs out in our attic, but has been known to move about the house.  At one time her grandmother was with her, but it seems to be only her now.  Since Hope has gotten older, she seems to have less contact with Emily.  However, Reigan, my youngest (now 7) has become quite attached to Emily, and Emily to her, as well.  Reigan has no fear of Emily - I believe that Emily took a shine to Reigan as a baby spending most of her day watching over her, protecting her. Even today Reigan still talks about Emily and on occasion can tell me where she is in the house.  I truly hope she never loses her sense of Emily.

     We all want to believe in things that are beyond our imagination.  Unicorns, Fairies, talking animals, and yes ghosts.  Believing that someone you love, who has since passed on, is still here with you gives one a sense of comfort and hope.  There are so many stories out there about ghost sightings, some real and some...well as fake as a 3 dollar bill.  Then there are those movies that strike fear in anyone who dares keep their eyes open, which is why my oldest son, who just happens to sleep in the attic, shuts his door and puts his chair's hassock in front of it.  I tried to tell him that spirits can just walk through doors, but he says it is to keep the cats out. 

     Maybe we create the images of our loved ones in our mind so much that we see and feel them there with us, or maybe they are here with us providing comfort when we need it most.  I like to believe the latter - what about you?