Читать книгу Haunted Too - Dorah L. Williams - Страница 5

Several years ago, my family and I lived in an old house that was very haunted, with apparitions, apports (objects that suddenly appeared out of thin air), ghostly handprints, voices and touches, and so many other paranormal phenomena that it felt almost overwhelming at times, and had quite an impact on all of us. But the more I researched and discussed this topic with others, the less afraid I became. My fear was replaced with a new appreciation and awe for what I have witnessed.

When I wrote Haunted: The Incredible True Story of a Canadian Family’s Experience Living in a Haunted House, I thought our situation was unique. I had no idea how many others who also live with or have experienced a haunting would contact me. And the more people who did, the more I came to realize that encounters with spirits are not uncommon at all. This compilation of others’ encounters, followed by insight, advice, and paranormal experiences from those with careers in this field, show that hauntings can occur anywhere, and to anyone.

I have been emailed by people from around the world, and from all walks of life, seeking information to better understand their own experiences. Most of them expressed the same fears and confusion that I felt myself when trying to come to terms with what was happening.

When I first realized our house was haunted, I felt at a loss as to what to do in a situation that felt so surreal. I understand the awe, bewilderment, or fright that others expressed to me regarding the hauntings they were trying to comprehend. And some felt they had no other option than to sell their homes and move away. But because all I could offer was advice based on my own specific, limited personal experience, I realized the need was there for more in-depth information from people who are a lot more knowledgeable than I am.

So I went looking for answers to the questions that people kept asking me when trying to understand their ghostly experiences — the same questions I had asked while our haunting was at its peak. I turned to paranormal investigators, researchers, and psychics, who were very generous with their time and knowledge, and I have compiled the information I felt was most needed.

Basic human nature causes most people to enjoy a good ghost story, because we somehow like the sensation of being frightened. There is an adrenaline rush caused by fear that, on varying levels, most people want to experience, if only vicariously from the safety of their seat in a movie theatre or within the pages of a book. But it feels much different when it is actually happening to you. Then the fear or amazement are not caused by someone else’s imagination or experience, but by your own reality. And closing a book or walking out of a movie theatre won’t stop the real-life drama that is unfolding in your home.

So this book has been written for two purposes. One is to share what others have felt and learned from their own paranormal experiences. And the other is to enlighten and intrigue anyone who would enjoy a vicarious “haunting” or spiritual uplifting.

Whether frightening or poignant, these paranormal incidents are told first-hand by those who have had them. Positive or negative, these remarkable experiences made a lasting impression on them, and they felt others might enjoy or learn from hearing their stories. And so do I.