h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well done article. I really enjoyed it! Do you think that people that believe in ghosts are attracted to them? I, seemingly have encountered several of them. None were famous, but I'm willing to attest to their authenticity. One was a symbolic visitation by my mother after she passed on.

Well, I've believed in ghosts all my life. I've also researched them, thought about them a lot and had the actual desire to see one. But not a sausage...

On the other hand I haven't heard many stories of people who *don't* believe in ghosts seeing them.

Except for the visitation from my Mom, I've never seen a ghost, that I know of. The 2 in the house where I grew up just made their presence felt, but never appeared. They were a mother and son, known to us as Grandma and Jim. Jim had died in the house of tuberculosis, and the theory was that Grandma came back to be with him. My bedroom door used to open, and if I told whoever it was to go away, the door would close. My light got turned on, things moved in my room. Jim, aparently used to go and talk to his sister, who originally had my room. We'd hear them walking in the upstairs hall, and up and down the stairs. A young child staying in the house started yelling just after being put to bed, and when questioned, said "Grandma's bad". Her Grandma hadn't been near her, but the toys she always had scattered about her were lined up along the foot of the bed, and she said Grandma told her they had to stay there. Someone bunking in the living room in a sleeping bag heard a light step come down the stairs, then his shoulder was covered up by an unseen hand. I knew it was Grandma checking on him, but he was freaked out!

That's pretty amazing. So if this Grandma puts the sh*ts up people wouldn't she do more good by leaving them alone? Although it would be quite funky to have an unpaid 'maid' who doesn't make her presence felt other than to tidy up.

So when you saw your mother what exactly happened? Did she say anything? I find all this stuff really interesting...

It all started in a dream. My Mom, son and dog were walking with me and I was on Mom's left side. Now Mom was born with a malformed left hand - only a thumb, no fingers, but when she took my hand, I felt fingers grasping my hand. There was a bear just over from us, and I said *just great, that'll upset the dog*, and Mom said she'd (the dog) be ok. At that point I woke completely up - REALLY wide awake! I felt Mom touch my head, as if she was brushing my hair back off my face, and say *you're going to be alright, dear, don't worry about me*. I told a Native friend about all this, and said I couldn't figure out the bear. She told me that in Native lore, a bear is a protector, and that spirits often choose to visit us in dreams. I'll never forget the experience, or the love-feeling I felt from Mom's final touch.