A Halloween Party! and my own TRUE ghost story.

I'm a little bit naive.  Okay, a lot naive (which really is okay).  I'm also a bit of a skeptic.  Put those two things together and you get quite a contradiction.  Sometimes you can pull the wool right over my eyes...but when I experience something firsthand...well it kind of resonates with me and tests my belief system. 

I'm going to share with you a deeply personal and true story.  Some may call it a ghost story.  I think that belittles the situation.  You'll see why.  So lets call it instead, an unexplainable event.

About ten years ago...I was working in a bar.  My coworkers and I were quite close friends.  In particular one woman who we'll call Louise.  Now Louise was a very easy going gal, and quite often had a bunch of us back to her place after the bar would close.  We would sit around and chat, play cards, smoke and gossip, and generally laugh laugh and laugh.  Music would often be involved because Louise could sing really well, and her husband played drums and guitar.  So jam sessions often accompanied our get togethers.  It was an ordinary and regular thing, to hang out there on any given Friday or Saturday night.  This was during a time in my life when I was single (you guys know the story :) ) and hence I lived on my own in a rather large apartment with three cats and a ficus tree.  I decided one evening after work, that rather than go home alone, as I wasn't yet tired and a few others were going over, to head over to Louise's house. 

Louise lived in a large, old Victorian home, similar to the one I live in now.  Original banisters, crown moldings, and other architectural details from the home's origins still intact.  Very lovely.  Very Gothic! Very, well, spooky.

In her basement, a rather large thick marble coffee table.

We gathered, and swapped stories of our evening at work.  We had a glass of wine.  It was then, about 30 minutes into our meeting there, that someone had a bright idea.  One that naive little me was scared of.  "Let's make a Ouija board!" 

Well, no way.  Not me!  "I'm sorry guys, not really my thing, I'm going to sit here on the couch and watch you, if that is okay," says I. 

Fine.  They respected that.  I cuddled up to watch what would forever leave me puzzled.  They constructed a board from scratch.  Carefully drawing the letters and numbers, the YES, the NO.  The MAYBE.  The GOODBYE.

I thought to myself, there is no way this thing is going to work.  Not a chance.  They found an old glass.  They turned it upside down onto the homemade board, and began.

"Are there any energies or spirits with us?", they asked.  Nothing. 

They waited.

Still nothing.

"Anyone there?" and a shift came on the glass.  Their hands moved.  They all looked shocked.  It was then that I sat up.  I started to pay attention.  This, I thought, is getting' interesting'.

YES. 

Holy shit.  I sat up some more.  Now I thought I may want to go home.  I cuddled my knees up to my chest.  And payed it more attention. 

"Who do you wish to speak to?" they inquired. 

GILLIAN.

What the fu...? Now I wondered if my friends were playing a joke on me.  Thought they were trying to make me freak out.  They knew how much I doubted it all. 

"Who are you?" they asked. 

Nothing. 

I said out loud, "See, no one is there.  Nice try guys."

The glass began to move.

They all simultaneously looked up at me as if to say, we aren't faking this.  I knew.  In my heart, I knew too. 

Looking at the board, I watched as the group of four flawlessly spelled out, "I LOVE YOU GILLIAN"

Hmmm.  Someone in the room is crushing on me, I thought.  Looking at all their faces, I realized that no, these people were my friends.  There was more to this.

"Who wishes Gillian to know you love her?" they ask, truly wondering.  Sheepish looks on their faces as they looked to me and back to the board.  

It was then that the board spelled out the name of my Grandmother, just her first name.  A tear came to my eye.  Then, tears.  I was crying.  

A few more personal details came out that I won't share here if you don't mind, that validated yes VALIDATED what happened.  In other words, there is NO WAY these four friends of mine could have known.  

Once the GOODBYE was said, and after I said "I love you too", we all went out into the street, with the homemade board, and burned it.  We said a blessing and set it free.  We sat for hours discussing the event.  

"Was it an evil spirit playing a joke?" I questioned.  

Then someone said, "Evil spirits don't masquerade as Grandmothers with wishes of love."

True.  They just don't.

For the record, I believe there is more to this life.  Not because of my experience that night, but for many reasons, including intuition, dreams, and more.  So to me, this meeting with my Grandmother was a gift.  A rare and beautiful gift.  

What do YOU think???

***

For more wild artistic and just plain loopy fun please visit the link of the Halloween Party at Vanessa's on my sidebar to the right.  You will find many links there that are also joining in the fun.  Don't be scared, go have a boo!!!

Until Halloween I plan to post scary boo! type stuff here.  Including pictures of a Ouija board that was here in my house when I moved in!!! It is an old Kabbala, or Qabbala board from the 60's.   No I haven't used it.  No I won't go downstairs to photograph it until the morning, thank you.  Do you think I'm completely crazy???? LOL

So for now, all I leave you with is my TRUE story to ponder, and my photograph of a full moon from two nights ago.

Happy Halloween to all my friends, it is what you make of it.  And no, not all ghosts are bad!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxo 

Comments

[Yoli]

I love the new look to your blog, it is really lovely and it suits you. I do believe there is more things out there that we can comprehend. What a lovely story Gilly. I am sure your grandma was there.

[Lisa Oceandreamer S.]

I totally believe what happened was real. I wholeheartedly believe there is another world and some are lucky to be contacted and some not. (in a good way).
I've been waiting for my Mom to come to me in a dream(or a sign) and after one day of working on my shrine for her (for Dia de bloglandia) she finally did. She told me she missed me.
That was a great story!!
Off to try and at least begin visiting that long party list!!
Love you,
Lisa
XOXOXO

[Moonfairy]

What a wonderful story. I`ve always believed in earthbound spirits and ghost visiting their loved ones.

Happy early Halloween :)

[Katherine McCullen]

I loved your story and totally believe that your grandmother was speaking to you. Thank you for sharing a happy Halloween tale!

[CARRIE West]

Wow, what a story..... I love true spooky stories!!!!!~

[AwtemNymf]

Fab Story! I'm Blog Hopping from Vanessa's "A Fanciful Twist" Party <{:O) You are my next guest to mingle with!
Stop by my place too... I'm having a couple of give-aways!
Have a bootiful day!
Be Enchanted!
~A~

[Epiphany]

It is my belief that certain of our loved ones remain with us after they go, to help guide and protect us. Usually the ones we felt most bonded to when they were here in life. This is such a lovely story.

That said, I've never liked Ouija boards. Too much of a wild card effect possible. Fortunately, your grandmother's presence - and love for you - negated anything but purity that night. What a special experience.

[Scarlet]

This story gave me chills...and when I learned it was your grandmother, I got a bit emotional as well. Gill, there is no doubt the spirit world lives. How interesting to learn that the girl who wouldn't play the game...well, the game played with her. ;) In the sweetest, most loving way possible, of course. I love this story!

I did a séance once with a group of teenagers when I was a kid. I felt a tap on my shoulder when we tried to bring back Elvis. It freaked me out to the point where I will never do anything like that again. I won't do ouija boards either, but they're making a comeback. They went off the shelves last year at Christmas.

[gemma]

Interesting that you said jam sessions occured at your friends house. Did you know that drums are known to awaken spirit? I lived in an old Victorian in SF as a young single girl. We often had conga drums and "jam sessions" and spirits!
We'll talk more.
love you
xx

[Natalie at FL Home Blog]

2 years ago I would never of believed this story. I would've considered it some Halloween fun.

Now, I absolutely believe.

Things that are demonized aren't always evil and can be a blessing.

[Laurel Anne Hill]

I loved your story. I often feel my grandmother with me when I'm cooking. I had an experience earlier this week that I would like to share. Do you vote for my Mom or the mushrooms?

Ghost of a Mushroom
by Laurel Anne Hill

I sat straight up in bed, my hands clutching the patchwork quilt. The translucent apparition from my spent dream danced in the air, a foot or so away from my nose. No, the figure of my mother’s ghost had changed in the pale amber illumination from my nightlights, become smaller than before. Soon only a shrouded drawn face, the size of my fist, remained.

“Are you all right?” my husband said. He had awakened, too.

I reached out in front of me and passed my fingers through the face, now more akin to a puckered transparent skull. A tightness gripped my stomach. This didn’t look like my mother. She wasn’t here, after all. How sad. Mom had passed away years ago. I missed laughing with her, chatting over coffee and singing “Inky Dinky Spider” while tickling her arm.” Yet why was I seeing things?

“I’m hallucinating,” I said to David.

“Do you mean dreaming?” David’s shadowy face bore a puzzled expression, accentuating his wrinkled jowls.

David must have referred to a false awakening, that phenomenon where a person dreams about waking up but remains asleep. I had experienced false awakenings many times but never had confused them with the real thing once sleep had passed. Right now, I couldn’t have been more alert if a train whistle had blasted in my ear.

“I mean hallucinating,” I said.

The shrouded skull sprouted legs and transformed into a spider, like some special effect in a video game. Not one of the hairy monstrosities I had seen after taking prescription painkillers, drinking too much wine or eating Portobello mushrooms, activities I tried to avoid. This arachnid appeared delicate and shimmered, almost as though constructed from blown glass. Its crystalline appendages oscillated, ought to have shattered from such movement.

I rose from bed and took careful steps across throw rugs toward the bathroom. The sparkling, wiggling creature didn’t accompany me. A flip of the light switch bathed cream-colored walls, tiles and fixtures in brightness and reality. Several minutes later I returned to bed. A colony of glimmering spiders, suspended on invisible threads, greeted me. I’d served sautéed crimini mushrooms at dinner--baby Portobellos. That variety of young shroom hadn’t bothered me before. How strange.

David and I talked for a while. Finally I rested my head on my foam pillow, encased myself in electric warmth and lowered my eyelids. Inky Dinky Spider. When in college, I’d once called Mom on the phone in the middle of the night to ask her how to spell a particular word. Maybe she had finally gotten even. No, Mom used to squash black widows on sight. She might have considered changing into a coffee cup but never into a spider. For tonight’s visual manifestations, mushrooms would have to take the blame.

[Laume]

I believe your story. I've had too many unexplainable things happen to me not to believe that we don't know everything that is possible in this world. Or perhaps worlds? If you're planning to "post scary boo! type stuff here" the rest of the month, you should come on over to my blog and grab a button and have me add you to the Post Spooky participants.

[Jessica]

I was just hanging out over at a Fanciful Twist’s party and I thought I’d check out your blog! Thank you for the wonderful story!!

[A Fanciful Twist]

YES YES YES!! It was real!! I had a similar expiernce the girl who didn't want to touch the Ouija! And, I will tell you all the details another day... But, yes, it was her... It really happened!! Wholey Guacamole!! xoxoxoox

[Shell]

Thanks for sharing your story. I believe the world is a lot more magical than we think it is. Wonderful you got to hear from your gram.

[Pecos Blue]

Great new site. I am trying to work on mine. Typepad seems way better.

[Sandra Evertson]

What a wonderful story to share, gives me hope! Funny, it also made a big lump in my throat!
Happy Halloween!
Sandra Evertson

[Ana Balbinot]

Thanks for your comment and visit at my blog! I hope you come many more times. Happy Halloween from Brazil!

[Dragonfly Reflections]

I think you are very lucky to have experienced this. To know you have the love of your grandmother, even after she has left her earthly bonds behind, well, that is a tremendous gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Blessings by way of Vanessa,
Kelley

[ScotlandBlogger]

Sounds very creepy, if you ask me. I don't know what to think of those boards, but I try to stay away from talking to them myself.

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

Wow! I wasn't expecting to read a story that would choke me up while visiting Vanessa's party guests! Your grandmother must have loved you deeply!

[Kerstin]

Hi Gillian! How nice to see you over at my blog, thank you so much for your lovely comment :)

Well, I have to say, I am very much like you in that I shy away from these kind of games. Yet I had a very similar experience more than fifteen years ago when I stayed with my brother and two younger cousins at an old farmhouse in Northern Germany. Picture a roaring fireplace at midnight, a very fast moving glass (we could barely keep up with reading the letters), answers that no-one but me could have known, and a silent phone call at 1 a.m. - I remember feeling quite freaked out.

Mind you, I have no doubt that this was your grandmother and what a precious gift indeed. Thanks for sharing this story!

Take care,
Kerstin

[robin bird]

now THAT is what i call a hot banner makeover! woo hoo good design for you. the story i loved and believed every word. my mother came to comfort me one time after she died. i have never for a moment doubted it was her. and i have been spending an inordinate amount of time in graveyards this month. and believe me they are not just places for the dead but places for the spirit.
you do tell a good story my friend!
xo

[Butch]

There are many events we can not explain. I am not one to deny that there are spirits or forces in nature that are beyond our understanding. Though I am a non believer in man's fantasy of a heaven and hell, there may be other explanations, life forces, spirits, other planes that we have not discovered or can explain. I think you saw what you saw. There is also a force or power when people get together and apply it in the same direction such as moving the glass. Thanks for your story.

[Erin]

I have a story like that as well, minus the Ouija board. I also agree than a message of love is not really an evil spirit thing. Thanks for the lovely bone chilling tale.

[Erin]

I have a story like that as well, minus the Ouija board. I also agree than a message of love is not really an evil spirit thing. Thanks for the lovely bone chilling tale.

[The Lady Prism]

Gillian,

How are you? You know, most of the Ouija board stories I read are really, well, bad. you know, people get possessed and all the other freaky things I hear about it. This is about the only story I've read pertaining to it that I can honestly say is..lovely. So touching.

I believe it's true, what happened. It's wonderful and so comforting to know that even in the life beyond this life, love, truly goes on.

Forever is real. Love never goes to waste.

[Patricia]

I have enjoyed your ghost story very much. Thanks for having me to your blog. Happy Halloween.

[Lisa P]

I love a good ghost story.....that one is awesome Gillian. I don't imagine it was something you will ever forget. I don't really have a lot of personal ghost stories however I have a 5 year old who wants to be a Ghostbuster when he grows up :-)
He hasn't even seen the movie!
Happy Haunting!