11.01.2008

My Ghostly Encounters (?)

Do you believe in ghosts? I do. I have not seen one (yet) but I felt and sensed their presence so I still consider it a ghostly encounter. I remember when my grandmother died, I was in school preparing for graduation a week away. My cousins and I went to the funeral parlor and I remember seeing her laid down on the slab. I held her hand and she felt cold and lifeless. I gave her a peck on the cheek and said my goodbye. I knew that if I didn't do it, I will regret it. I wasn't scared at the moment, I guess it's different when the dead person is someone you love. If it was a total stranger then it would be different. Here are some of my experiences with the unknown ghosts.
- The first experience I had was when my paternal grandmother passed away. I was the first grandchild and her favorite. I was at her wake (in another part of the compound) and was taking a nap on the couch in the living room. My cousin was sleeping on the other couch. It was around dawn when I felt something cold on my right leg. Still groggy and sleepy, I figured that my leg just brushed on the plastic cover of the couch and thought nothing of it and went back to sleep. It was only in the morning when I remembered and thought about what happened. I realized that I was wearing one of those tight stretch jeans which is tight and there is no way that it could've moved up my ankle and my leg!

- My second experience happened a day or so later. My grandmother's wake was still going on. My dad and I went home early in the evening. I had an exam the next day while my dad had to do some office work. We were both upstairs in our respective rooms when I heard the sound off the wind chimes on the front door followed by the door slammed shut real hard. Our front door is made from Narra, a hard wood and it is very heavy, so you can imagine how loud it was when slammed shut. My dad and I came out of our rooms and went downstairs to see what happened. We didn't see anything or anyone. There was no one else in the house since our helpers were also in the wake. My dad who was a skeptic before, became a believer after that incident.

-My third experience happened that Christmas holidays. We always have a Christmas party in our house with my dad's parents, siblings and their families. It was the first Christmas that my grandmother was not with us. In the middle of the celebration, a glass vase that was on the lower shelf fell on the floor and broke into small pieces. What's unusual about this is the way it happened. The shelf itself was very low, about an inch from the floor. The vase fragments were so tiny you would've thought that it was dropped from the second floor of a building. Could it be my grandmother letting us know that she was with us at that moment?

- My fourth experience happened when I was in Chemistry lab. It was the first death anniversary of my grandmother. I was listening to the professor when suddenly, I smelled the strong scent of the perfume L'Air du Temps. It couldn't have been a classmate since it was mostly guys sitting around me and my it's not the scent that my friend was using. I asked them if they smelled it but nobody else did. Now if you've been in a Chem Lab, you know how it smells in there. So what could it be?

- My fifth experience happened when my grandfather passed away. I was pregnant with my daughter and living in California. My grandfather died in the Philippines and I just received the news. One night, I was alone in our house and was passing by the kitchen on the way to the bathroom. I smelled the scent of a candle that has been put out. I looked around the kitchen and don't remember lighting a candle. So after that, I went upstairs and on the hallway I smelled the same thing. I don't know why I wasn't scared at all. I just thought that maybe my grandfather was visiting and saying his goodbye. It couldn't be the neighbor's since all windows were closed. Was it my imagination?

I' ve also heard from families and friends about their ghostly encounters and I believe them. What about you? Do you believe in ghosts and have you seen one?


Btw, here are some photos taken at the Trier Cathedral courtyard during our summer vacation in Germany. There are a lot of 'orbs' in the photos. The first photo does not have any in it but the second and third photo taken after that has a lot.

9 comments:

  1. Yes. When I was in college at home by myself, I heard a ball bouncing from the front door towards one of the bedrooms and saw a boy chasing after it.

    After that, I stopped saying in the apartment by myself. It took a couple of months to find out that another of my room mates had seen the same thing.

    We found out that families had once lived in those apartments, so it's possible that we did see a ghost...

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  2. i don't believe at ghost. but i'm scared with them :)

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  3. I'n denial that I don't see them but sometimes yeah..Oh God diko kasi matanggap kaya no no no. Hay grabeh Mama beth yoko talaga ng gantong usapan. Everytime visit ako sa cemetery before nagcocolapse ako kasi diko kaya ewan koba bat sila ganyan sakin? Shhhh

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  4. Yes I definitely believe in ghosts. And I believe what you experienced are also of the ghostly nature. Wow! Your late grandfather came all the way from Phillipines to visit you - I guess in the spirit world, there is really no distance like in the real world. Some people equates ghosts and spirits to energy. And maybe they are right, that explains how energy wave can travel vast distances at a split second. Just like how you can connect to someone on the phone in a far away country.
    Interesting post, Babette. I love reading ghost stories especially real ones! : )

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  5. Hi Mama,

    When I encoutered a ghost that was really scary. I saw his dark shadow going down the stairs while we are watching TV. Huh! I seldom talked about this topic.

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  6. @Angelika
    I cannot imagine how you must've felt at that moment. I'm a scaredy-cat so I probably would've ran out of the apartment and wait outside. Thanks for sharing.

    @Sheila
    Some people don't believe in ghosts too. I understand since my dad was like that until he experienced it himself.

    @Joy
    You must be one of the few that was given the gift to see them. I think I would feel the same if I were in your shoes Joy.

    @Foong
    You're right about that Foong. When my mom's aunt passed away (she lived in the southern part of the Philippines), our neighbor (we live in the mainland and he does not know my mom's aunt nor has he seen her) saw an old lady standing between my cousin and our helper while they were having dinner. He asked our helper the next day who the old lady was and described her. The dress that he described was the same clothes that my mom's aunt wore when she was buried. I still feel goosebumps everytime I remember this.

    @Sam
    That is scary! I'm glad I have not seen any ghosts yet even though I know they're real. I remember talking to my grandmother in my thoughts when she died. I said that if she wants to visit me, to do it in my dreams since I think I will freak out if I see her standing there.

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  7. Hi Bette,
    naku po! ako andaming kung ghostly encounters..the worst was nung ng board exam review kami sa manila, ang sabi sabi eh meron daw ngpakamatay dun sa dorm where kami ng stay.. as in pgsapit ng 12am eh meron kami naririnig na boses ng isang babae at kumakanta sa roof top..as in tayoan balahibo namin hahaha...

    SPooky naman is your post..hehehe
    THanks pala for the constant drop in my blog mwhaugs!

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  8. Well it is very interesting. I have never experienced anything like that myself, but I hear so much from people I trust and I am inclined to believe them. At least your experiences are all positive, of your loved ones coming to visit :)

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  9. @Twinks,
    That is scary! You should share your experiences, it'll be interesting to read I'm sure. You're welcome about the drops sis. :o)

    @Penny
    You're right, that's why I wasn't that scared. I cannot imagine seeing a real scary entity!

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Thank you for taking the time to comment. :o)