Do You Believe In Ghosts?

It's Halloween and ghosts are always the hot topic at this time of year, but the ghost discussion is one that has been going on for some time now. The question is: are ghosts real and do you believe they exist? We hear all kinds of stories about haunted places and all of the weird things that happen in those places, but is there any real proof beyond a shadow of a doubt? We have a famous story right here in Evansville about the Willard Library being haunted by a ghost known as 'the grey lady'. There are stories, legends and rumors, but is there any proof the 'grey lady' exists? I haven't seen any, but people here claim to have seen her so, what gives?

A little further south on I-64 we have the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, which has been described on television as one of the scariest places on Earth and the most haunted hospital in the Eastern United States. I believe it is the third floor at Waverly where most of the ghostly activity is said to occur. Most of the paranormal shows have been there and claim to have witnessed some pretty strange things, but to my knowledge, no concrete, absolute proof of anything beyond what they did for the sake of compelling TV.

One of the more popular cable shows right now is 'Long Island Medium', a show that features Theresa Caputo, who claims to be able to speak with and communicate with the dead in the same way Jennifer Love Hewitt's character on 'Ghost Whisperer' did. My wife loves Caputo and I will admit that while her show is interesting, I have yet to see any proof to back up her claims. The stories are compelling and the people she deals with seem to actually get comfort from what she tells them, but again, why should I believe this is real and why can't we all communicate with departed loved ones? I don't get it.

At this point, let me say that obviously, I am not a believer, but I certainly cannot say these things don't exist. The bottom line is, I really don't know because I have not seen or heard anything that would constitute proof beyond people swearing up and down that their particular story is true.

I will admit the possibility exists, but before I sign off on the actual existence of ghosts, I want to see some proof that would show me beyond a shadow of doubt they do in fact exist, which I have yet to see. I listen to my own family members tell these stories, but I have not seen any one part of anything my own family describes.

My wife and I spend a lot of time in Charleston, South Carolina, which has a very haunted and sorted past. My wife even has a photo she took during a haunted jail tour that is incredibly creepy and unexplainable, but in the end, it doesn't prove anything - it's just a weird picture.

I am going to have to stop writing because all of a sudden my office is very, very cold and the thermostat won't move, even though it is set at 73.......huh, that's weird.