I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!

I know I’ve made a big to-do about how Zombies freak me out and how I’ve had to institute a self-ban of “The Walking Dead” and all that fun, f’d up stuff.  But they really are the only thing that freaks me out (ok, that’s a sort of lie, I’m a little freaked out by The Violator…but that’s a whole ‘nuther post).  To help prove my point, let’s talk ghosts.

I just saw Clint Eastwood’s latest talkie “Hereafter” about a psychic, a near death experience and a lost soul mate.  The following post was inspired by that movie and by recent events in my own life…

Ghosts are one of those taboo topics that fit into the conversation lexicon somewhere between “religion & politics” and “Uncle John was a serial killer with a lovechild.”

So, naturally, I’m going to bring it up 😉

It really isn’t spoken about, especially amongst non-believers and those of certain generations. But 100 years ago that simply wasn’t the case.  Manufactured séances were a dime a dozen.  Sarah Winchester fell victim to them, going so far as to follow a medium’s advice of constant construction on her San Jose mansion.  That lasted 38 years until her death and resulted in a house designed to confuse the ghosts of those killed by the Winchester Rifle.

The original “ghostbuster,” Harry Houdini was passionate about exposing these frauds.  A mission that cost him the friendship of none other than Sir Francis Conan Doyle.  Ironically, after his death, his wife held séances every Halloween (he died on October 31, 1926) for 10 years, anticipating the moment he would return in spiritual form and whisper the agreed upon phrase, “Rosabelle believe.” She gave up after the 10^th attempt proved fruitless.  Others are still trying though, with his wife’s permission, of course.

There have always been and always will be those who prey on the desperate loved ones of those who have passed away.  Here in Southern California there is a psychic on every block, most of them from a few gypsy families that operate very much like the mafia: http://www.10news.com/news/17967709/detail.html There is an entire website devoted to exposing them: http://www.gypsypsychicscams.com/realstories.html

Having descended from Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic) on my mother’s side, it’s a little disheartening that these people give genuine psychics a bad name.

You heard me right.  Genuine psychics.  They are out there.  I’ve known some of them for years.  They keep quiet about it and are very weary of anyone knowing about their abilities, which vary from person to person.  I have never once met someone who can predict the future.  What they can do; however, is communicate with and sense the dearly departed.  Some of these people feel a moral obligation and assist with criminal investigations.  Others are horrified and do everything they can to push away what they see as a curse.  Most are ambivalent and accept it for what it is and never do much about it.  One thing they can all agree on is that spirits are all around us.  Most believe in reincarnation.  All believe in heaven and some form of afterlife.

There’s really no way to prove any of this or that ghosts exist and wander among us, but it’s food for thought and a source of comfort for those of us who have lost a loved one.

Except, of course, when you’re knocking boots in the bedroom.  Then, notsomuch.