Paranormal Activity Isn’t Always Spooky!
Even if you want it to be…
I was recently reading a Medium piece by Joel R. Dennstedt called Benevolent Spirits, where he highlighted the human tendency to talk about spooky incidents as matter-of-fact events.
We’ve all had night-outs with friends that culminated in the inevitable “ghost stories” session. Yet, the next day, everyone carries on with their mundane routine without a second thought to the stories shared. The sharing of spooky incidents (whether real-life or made-up) is just a ritual of storytelling.
Some stories, however, create an impact.
You may find yourself drifting back to the retelling of a spooky incident at work the next day. Or perhaps, if you’re a writer, you may create a variation of the story in your mind, with some embellishments of your own flavor.
Stories with spooky, paranormal and horror-filled elements stay with us longer. We are more likely to remember stories about possessive poltergeists, revenge-fueled witches or black-eyed kids than one about a ghost that would simply knock over a vase each night.
Stories with negative tropes that send a chill down the spine are more memorable and accessible to the wider audience. It is perhaps why I decided to share an incident about meeting a strange statue in the rain over other paranormal stories I’ve acquired along the way.
Yet, we need to realize that spooky, unexplained stories can be about non-threatening, friendly spirits, too. Not every ghost has an agenda; some are simply wandering souls that mean us no harm. Although these kinds of stories won’t make your listeners shudder with fright and unease, they do exist.
Taking inspiration from Benevolent Spirits, I’ve decided to share a real-life incident about such a friendly yet spooky presence.
This story comes from an old friend of mine who moved to Australia back in the 90s. Her parents were engineers who had agreed to oversee mining operations for a local company. Their new home, in the words of my friend, was the house from Courage The Cowardly Dog.
Old, run-down and remote. The closest neighbor was almost half a mile down the road.
The new neighbors had discreetly mentioned about the previous resident: a frail, old man who had died in his rocking chair a few months ago. He had no family, and had bought the house to spend his last days in peace.
My friend, who was only six years old at the time, often talked about an old man with a cane walking around the house. He would often show her a magic trick where he walked right through walls and doors. Her parents did not show much concern, chalking it up to the over-imaginative nature of a lonely child (read: seeking attention).
However, after observing doors opening and closing on their own, they took notice. Her father swore that the old rocking chair in the basement, that came with the house, would move on its own at times, and then be steady as a rock.
At night, they would also hear a slow tapping sound, as if someone were ambling around the house with the aid of a walking stick. The sound seemed to show a special affection towards the small girl, often stopping near her room and then slowly fading away.
One afternoon, when the little girl was playing on the basement stairs, the door slammed shut. It wasn’t a windy day. Neither was the basement door prone to such behavior. Her dad quickly went down and “rescued” her.
He stated to no one in general about a child being in the house and people should be careful with doors. After that day, the basement door would always open and shut gently.
Two years later when they moved out, the movers-and-packers found an old walking stick in the basement. Her father carefully placed it on the rocking chair before leaving.
The parents swore that they had shared the house with the previous tenant, and that he had taken care of their daughter at times.
While this story might not be a hit at a “ghost stories” session, it did leave an impact on me.
People have had interactions and even conversations with well-intentioned spirits, yet they take a backseat when it comes to spooky, unexplained occurrences. With the abundance of spooky, spine-chilling ghost stories, shouldn’t there be an equal amount about friendly spirits as well?
Have you had such an experience in your life? Please share it in the comments!
