Ghosts

In our world of electronics, pandemics and imbalance, there are some things that remain the same. Take this picture for instance. My granddaughter and I were walking around an old cabin on a tourist site here in Calgary when we took some pictures inside one of the cabins. We took multiple pictures inside, and this one seems to show seven or maybe eight darkened oval shapes that remind me of heads. Another picture show what looks like one person standing with one oval shaped head, but this one could be the family.

In the spirit world they say that there are residual hauntings which are likened to a photographic image in that an event usually violent makes a lasting imprint and replays itself over and over. Then there are intelligent hauntings; these have spirits that are able to interact with us - answer specific questions if asked if they feel the need to reply I suppose. I am not sure which one this would be, but hauntings I believe don't really change even if the world changes. It seems from the earliest of times, man has had hauntings; and they continue up to this day.

Personally I've had many experiences since I was a child and would like to share a few with you just in time for Halloween. This seems to be their time.

I've had experiences where the people I was with didn't hear anything and also where another person heard the same thing as I did. They all are different when they happen and unexpected most of the time.

I remember a particular time when my daughter was a child of about 9 or 10, and one of my brothers wanted to go have tea on a Sunday evening. We lived across from an old hospital which has since been demolished; and I told him to come over, and that we'd head over to the cafeteria there. The cafeteria was in the basement and so was the morgue, but that never bothered me. I'd gone over there to the cafeteria many times; and it was always busy and noisy. On that day when we arrived, the cafeteria was closed off except for the vending machines for coffee, snacks and pop. There was a small table also, so we sat there.

I had never gone there on a Sunday before and didn't know that they closed the cafeteria then. We got our drinks from the vending machine and just sat down and started to talk. We talked for a bit then I heard some whistling as if someone was working, so we just kept talking. But then it seemed to be getting closer or louder, and I was getting annoyed. I told my brother I guess they don't want us here. He looked at me but didn't say anything. I got up to use the washroom, and as I walked in the hallway I looked up and down trying to see who was whistling to disturb our visit. I didn't see anyone, but thought they could be down any of the other hallways, and I wasn't going to go check them all out.

When I came back to the table, I didn't hear any whistling; so I thought they had finished, and that we could just continue our visit. We started to talk again, and of course the whistling started again. I was feeling very annoyed by this time and in a huff told my brother, we might as well leave since they obviously don't want us here. I said it loudly too, so whomever it was would know I knew their tricks. We got our things and and when we got outside, the air was refreshing and crisp. There was also a little sparkling white snow on the ground. We got to the top of the stairway and were just admiring the night view before going down the stairs when my brother asked me what I heard in there. I told him about the whistling, but he said he didn't hear anything. I then turned to my daughter; and asked her if she heard the whistling, and she said she did not. The whistling to me sounded the same as if someone just started whistling in front of me. I thought after that what things do I hear that others do not. That was food for thought.

In our family we grew up with my mom telling us stories of her experiences, ghostly and other, that she had in her life. So we did grow up being open to the supernatural, but we were allowed to make up our own minds. As any family we had our own demons to wrestle. One of the problems that has popped up in our family life has been alcohol addition and that is how this story begins.

One of my brothers was having a difficult time with drinking in that he was drinking much too much. We were all young adults at the time and I was going to college and living at home. One of my brothers was also still at home but working. I remember he went out drinking on Friday night and this was Saturday night. I was at home, and it was all quiet downstairs, so my mom and I believed he was asleep. He had had quite a night and day of overindulging, so we were happy that we could go to bed without interruption. My mom had gone downstairs to check on him and make sure everything was off; she did say he was asleep or passed out whichever you prefer. My mom is always checking everything is locked; everything is off, or everything is in place even to this day. I went to her house just last week and I changed the toilet roll in the bathroom as it ran out while I was there. I saw her go in afterwards and switch it around to how she likes it, so yeah she is very particular.

Anyhow back to the story, we both went to bed and I wasn't asleep yet, and then I heard music. I thought did he wake up again and start playing his music. I got up and yes I could hear it when I got up too. It was Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love playing. As I was standing there, my mom came out of her room as well; and we both stood there looking at each other concerned. My mom said that everything was off down there when she left, so we both thought he must have gotten up and turned on some music, and now we were trying to figure out what our next move would be.

I creeped over to the stairway to listen for movement, but didn't hear any. I then creeped down the stairs, and there was no light coming out from under his doorway. I went back up and told my mom it was all dark, and I didn't hear him moving around. I didn't think he was awake because if anyone knows when someone is drunk, it is hard to be quiet. He also didn't have a record player or cassette player down there; but he did have a radio, so it could be that he turned it on after my mom had gone down and left.

My mom is superstitious, and she had more concerns that this was not my brother, but something more on the evil side of things. I told her I'd go down there, and check if his radio was on; and if it was, I'd shut it off, but she wouldn't let me. We waited there for quite awhile seeing if he would come upstairs, but nope my brother did not come up or even make any other noise if he were awake. The funny thing about the music is that when I first heard it, it was Led Zeppelin; but when I got closer to his door trying to hear it, I couldn't make out the music anymore. It seemed like when I'd think I was catching the tune, it changed.

I got tired of waiting and told my mom I was going to bed and just going to try to sleep through the music, and she said ok. Of course who was I fooling. I couldn't sleep and got up only to find my mom coming up the stairs. She had gone in his room, and she said nothing was on. We waited it out for about an hour till everything seemed quiet again. This was a creepy incident and many others happened and still happen in her house. We don't know who lives there with her, but they make their presence known.

I will share one final story that happened in a place in Northwest Calgary; when I moved there I was living with my daughter, but she moved out as a young adult so I ended up living by myself, and it was a big place for me. I lived in this townhome for 4 years and not that much was usually going on here except where the bedrooms were. One of the sensations I used to find myself waking up to is that someone was in the room. The first time this happened I was half waking up for the day and what I awoke to was what sounded like whispering in my ear. Well I jumped up because I thought someone got into my place and was there with me. No one was there, and I just told myself it was a dream waking me up. The only thing about that was that it happened all the time. I got used to it, and so it just became another part of waking up.

Another time, I was getting ready for bed - brushing my teeth, washing up and went into my room. I used to watch about an hour of tv before I'd go to sleep, so I did that as well and then shut off the tv. I was lying in bed still awake, and I heard my heater go on in the other bedroom. I thought what the heck! Sure enough it was on when I went to check, so I shut it off and unplugged it for good measure. I remember saying not to turn it on again please. The rest of the night was restful.

At this particular place too one of my brothers had passed away, but my family and I did not know at the time. I remember I was in the kitchen making supper for myself; the day was cool, grey and outside it was already getting dark. I looked up at the table, and thought I saw someone standing on my balcony just for a flash; then it was gone. I did not distinguish if it was a male or female or anything as it was gone so fast, but we got news really soon after that that my brother had passed away.

When I moved out of this place, I was talking to my neighbour saying that I'd miss the place as it was pretty peaceful. He goes into a story that it wasn't always so quiet and that either in my unit or the one next someone had committed suicide. Well that just sent shivers up my spine.

I think from the beginning of the time of man, we have always had our ghostly experiences and I don't think they are going to stop anytime in the near future. We progress as we can now videotape, record and snap pictures of these ghostly beings; but whether we can or not, they can still make their presence known.