Why I Believe

I first became interested in the paranormal after growing up in a house in New Jersey which had all the makings of the perfect ghost story. The 100+ year old home was filled with history, not to mention a hidden crawl-through area in the attic where my younger brother and I had quite a scare upon taking our flashlights only see a face staring back at us in the dark (it turned out to be portraits which belonged to a previous homeowner, yet the incident kept us from creeping through the attic alone from then on). In fact, the attic is where the legend of the house originated. Years before my family moved into the home, a young woman was found hanged in the attic. Although law officials ultimately ruled it a suicide, many neighbors believe that the woman's boyfriend had actually murdered her. No solid evidence was ever found to convict him of the wrongdoings and after months of searching for clues, the officers finally gave up.

The house was always filled with creaks and groans, but it was after my birth that the occurrences at the house became harder to explain. Footsteps and a female whispering would be heard in the nursery and in the attic. Upon investigation, nothing/no one would be found. When my mother would hear my crying and run up to my crib to see what was the matter, she would open the door to me cooing and reaching out to someone who couldn't be seen. It wasn't just me either. My younger brothers both reacted the same way as infants, giving way to wailing with smiling and laughing at nothing at all.

The spirit was harmless enough. My mother would tell us that we were sharing the house with a spirit who had our best interests at heart. Seeing that she wasn't afraid, we embraced the idea of a "ghost" and were more than happy to tell our friends about the haunted house we lived in.

My father was a bit more skeptical. One evening changed his mind. While my mother was telling friends about the ghost who lived in our home, my father interrupted with "ghosts aren't real and you're just being ridiculous." At the exact moment he said this, several old musical toys which were sitting upon the top shelf of a bookcase in the room went off simultaneously. Lights blinking, music blaring we all looked at one another completely confused. My father laughed and said, "I guess she proved me wrong." At that second the toys stopped. Although there's no way to pinpoint the events that took place in the house on the paranormal, the coincidences have spiked my curiosity in the possibility that there could be something more. This blog is dedicated to the stories and lore that make us wonder if there are spirits who stick around after death. Feel free to post your favorite stories, legends, or haunted sites.