G - is for Ghosts

Ghosts!

You wouldn't think that this topic would cause such pause. But the belief or non-belief in ghosts seems to stir the most interesting conversations.

Ghosts have been part of the human experience for a very long time. Human history, art, folk lore and literature ... all are full of references to ghosts even as far back as ancient Greek theater. I am not a scholar ... but there are probably older references as well. With such a deep history, the subject of ghosts may make you pause.

Despite that history, I don't believe in ghosts!

I have never seen a ghost or heard one or felt evidence of one. There is nothing in my experience that would support that belief. But there is a story that remains unexplained in my past, and I thought I would share it.

Several years ago I worked in a local Spiritual Center. This beautiful center was located in the middle of 300 acres of forest. Quiet and peace. It is what I think of when I remember my 3 years working there. I loved every minute of it.

One day while discussing a random topic, one of the sisters casually mentioned that the woman who held my position just prior to me reported that the grounds and buildings were haunted. I immediately discounted it. I don't believe in such things. But I decided to pursue the conversation because this sister was a rational, common sense kind of person who I admire greatly. She didn't say she believed it, but she wasn't laughing either.

I wanted to know the reasons for this belief. Apparently, this prior employee said that when taking pictures of the grounds and the buildings, she always got spots in the photo print that were it faded out a bit - subtly, but evident, as it marred the quality of the picture in one or two spots. And these spots were random, never in the same place and not present in pictures taken off the grounds. These spots according to her were supposed to be the ghosts of the center and the grounds.

I remember the conversation stopping at that point. Actually, I think she kept talking, but my mind was racing. I also had been taking pictures of the center for some promotional materials. I noticed the same thing happening with my camera and my pictures. I was convinced my camera was failing and a new one was in my future. Then I would take the camera home and it functioned fine. My pictures were perfect. I had never mentioned my photo problems to anyone.

Later I looked at my pictures again privately. I could still see the spots. I could feel my brain struggling to explain this situation. It didn't happen in all the pictures, just a few. Something so episodic and faint, may not be noticed by other picture takers or discounted as I did.

This Spiritual Center is a place of peace and tranquility. Ghosts there? I still have problems wrapping my brain around that concept. My husband and I have visited the civil war battlegrounds of Gettysburg. That 3 day battle was such a slaughter of human lives - it is almost unbelievable in its scope. Stories of haunted houses and grounds are so prevalent there, it is overwhelming. Certainly if there were ghosts, Gettysburg would be a place where they would be - and not just one or two. I've been a visitor there many times and never once experienced a ghost or questioned my belief.

But these pictures of the Spiritual Center, they made me wonder. Unfortunately, I left all my pictures there years ago. I don't even have one to share. But I assure you, the pictures captured something I didn't see through the lens or in person. It happened years apart, with 2 separate cameras and by 2 people who never met.

So what do you think? Can you explain what my camera was capturing? Do you believe in ghosts? Have you had an experience that made you question your beliefs?

After thinking about it for awhile I decided that I still don't believe in ghosts, but I still can't explain the pictures.