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I Met a Ghost
Faded Banner Publications
Category:
Vision/Metaphysical
Publisher: Faded Banner Publications
ISBN-10: 0965920178
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 133
Copyright: Oct.23, 2018
ISBN-13: 9780965920179
Price: $4.49 (eBook)
In this follow-up work to "I Met a Ghost at Gettyburg," author Don Allison delves even more deeply into the unexplained. With his keen eye as an award-winning journalist and veteran daily newspaper editor he shares his very personal paranormal encounters and explores scientific thoughts and theories as to what is behind it all
Veteran journalist and historian Don Allison serves up a very personal exploration of the paranormal in "I Met More Ghosts at Gettysburg: A Journalist's Paranormal Journey Continues." Don relies on keen insight honed through decades of newspaper writing and editing as he shares his own encounters with the paranormal. In the down-to-earth style he employs in his award winning and long running newspaper column "On My Mind," he shares what he encountered, and his very human reactions. In layman's terms Don also takes a look at the forces of nature he believes are behind these unexplained occurrences, as well as some of the scientific theories that have been proposed. In short, this skeptic is convinced we have something to gain from studying those fascinating occurrences in this world we currently do not understand. "A great read, very entertaining … I think you’ve created an ‘Everyman’s’ explanation of paranormal occurrences,” is how Mark Nesbitt, “Ghosts of Gettysburg” author and paranormal investigator, describes Don’s earlier work “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg." As Don relates in the preface to "I Met More Ghosts at Gettysburg," "It’s a great enigma, really. Human cultures across time have expressed a belief in ghosts, yet there is no conclusive, generally accepted scientific proof that they exist. And what exactly is a ghost, anyway? "It seems if ghosts do exist, science would have found irrefutable evidence by now. Yet countless people throughout history – up to and including the present day – have experiences they cannot explain, and believe they have encountered what we commonly consider to be a ghost. "At some level most of us are afraid of our own mortality, and paranormal occurrences can be taken as a sign of encouragement, that perhaps death does not end our existence. We can see unexplained communication as evidence that our consciousness can indeed live on after our physical departure. Deep down we may want to believe, and this can alleviate at least some of that fear of taking our final breath. "On the other hand, some people are terrorized at the possibility of encountering a spirit. The thought of entering a supposedly haunted building can strike fear into their hearts. "To a degree I believe we all fear that which we do not understand. Be it dreams or premonitions that defy the odds of being a coincidence, sights or sounds that our logic says simply cannot be, when we contemplate those things almost all of us experience some level of fear. It can be so much easier, so much safer, do so much for our peace of mind, to simply turn our heads and ignore it, wait for it to go away and forget it ever happened ... "After publishing “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg” I didn’t really expect to write another book on the paranormal. Instead I thought I was doing what I often do, explore a topic that has aroused my curiosity, write about what I learned and then move on to something new and different. "But this time, instead of finding the answers to most of my questions and feeling satisfied with my research, each potential answer to my paranormal queries seems to raise a dozen or more new questions. "In short, my experiences since publishing “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg” have revealed an entirely new world to me, a reality that is truly awe inspiring. It’s a quest I find I can’t abandon, so it continues with this book. "My goal here is to encourage people to put aside their fears and open their minds to exploring a world beyond our day-to-day understanding. Ignoring or denying the unexplained doesn’t make it go away. If anything, by doing so we cheat ourselves out of the chance to better appreciate the world around us, and to more fully explore what may well be laws of nature that we do not yet that age-old question, what happens to understand. Why not continue to tackle our personalities, our souls if you will, after we die?"
Excerpt
Such a Thing as a Ghost?
It’s a great enigma, really. Human cultures across time have expressed a belief in ghosts, yet there is no conclusive, generally accepted scientific proof that they exist. And what exactly is a ghost, anyway?
It seems if ghosts do exist, science would have found irrefutable evidence by now. Yet countless people throughout history – up to and including the present day – have experiences they cannot explain, and believe they have encountered what we commonly consider to be a ghost.
At some level most of us are afraid of our own mortality, and paranormal occurrences can be taken as a sign of encouragement, that perhaps death does not end our existence. We can see unexplained communication as evidence that our consciousness can indeed live on after our physical departure. Deep down we may want to believe, and this can alleviate at least some of that fear of taking our final breath.
On the other hand, some people are terrorized at the possibility of encountering a spirit. The thought of en-tering a supposedly haunted building can strike fear into their hearts.
To a degree I believe we all fear that which we do not understand. Be it dreams or premonitions that defy the odds of being a coincidence, sights or sounds that our logic says simply cannot be, when we contemplate those things almost all of us experience some level of fear. It can be so much easier, so much safer, do so much for our peace of mind, to simply turn our heads and ignore it, wait for it to go away and forget it ever happened.
I’ll admit it. I experience fear over the paranormal. In fact, at one point not so very long ago I was nearly overwhelmed by fright.
In this case I was frightened not of spirits, but living people – more specifically of their reaction to the boxes of books in the back of my van. “What in the world have I done?” I asked myself as I slowly inhaled, then held my breath to calm my nerves.
I was driving out of the parking lot of Bookmasters in Ashland, Ohio, where I had just picked up the first printing of my book “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg: A Journalist’s Journey Into the Paranormal.”
My wife, Diane, was in the passenger seat, but I didn’t share my uncertainties with her. She has been my greatest supporter, and was among those who con-vinced me to write the book. Besides, what could I do? It was too late to back out now.
I am not easily frightened. Typically I keep a clear head about me, and only realize later that perhaps I should have been afraid. I believe that’s what was hap-pening here. I had come to the bold decision to write and publish “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg,” and now I was realizing that perhaps I should have been scared to death before making that move.
In my mind I could hear the howls of derision as I stood before crowds of potential readers, speaking to them about “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg.” I knew what was coming. “Ghosts?” they would say, laughing in my face. “You’re out of your mind.”
Maybe it’s that fear of ridicule by their peers that leads some researchers to shy away from investigating the paranormaI. Of course it can be far better to choose a safe area of research than to risk becoming a professional laughingstock.
For more than four decades I have carefully nurtured my reputation as a reliable, trustworthy journalist. Since the early 1970s, first with the former Stryker Advance weekly newspaper and later with The Bryan Times daily paper, I have built a career on winning the trust of my readers in Northwest Ohio. For more than 20 years I also have been a book author and publisher, my feet planted solidly on the ground as I wrote and edited books on Civil War and regional history.
While I drove home from Ashland in the fall of 2015 with those boxes of “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg” stacked behind me, I envisioned that reputation enter-ing a death spiral, picking up speed while plummeting toward the drain. To say I was very much regretting what I had done in publishing the book is an under-statement.
After arriving home that deep sense of foreboding intensified as I unloaded the books and stacked them in my unfinished library. I had too much time and money invested in the books, and far too many resources committed to publicizing it, to back out now.
So I ignored my fears and forged ahead, already plotting how to recover from the professional catastrophe I was sure would come.
Now, looking back, I can very much appreciate the old saying that the true definition of courage is being afraid and acting any way. I don’t see myself as particularly courageous, but by forging ahead in the face of almost overwhelming fear I achieved one of my greatest professional successes.
As it turned out my fears were totally unfounded. I can count on the fingers of one hand the people who have been openly hostile to me or “I Met a Ghost,” and any jokes at my expense as I’ve addressed audiences have been rare indeed.
Instead audiences for my speeches have been open and friendly, receptive to my talks and the book’s mes-sage. People have stopped me on the streets, in stores and at restaurants, and stopped by at The Bryan Times office to tell me in person how much they have enjoyed and appreciated “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg.” And the positive phone calls, emails, social media messages and even old fashioned letters have been incredibly gratify-ing.
Beyond that reception, I have learned that I am far from alone in experiencing paranormal encounters. Every time I have signed copies of “I Met a Ghost” or spoken before an audience, I have had people share their own unexplained experiences.
Sometimes people will tell their stories openly during my talks, often relating encounters similar to those I speak about. Not only are these stories informative to me, they are valuable in supporting my message to the audience.
Quite often, though, people are hesitant to share their personal experiences in front of others. More times than I can count I have observed people standing back, waiting patiently as others speak with me, ask questions and have books signed. Finally, once everyone else has left, they will approach me and privately share their own paranormal encounters.
Believe me, I understand their reluctance to relate their stories in front of others. That very fear held me captive for years before I took the plunge and began writing “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg.”
Now I feel I am providing very personal and valuable support to those who are perplexed over what they saw, or smelled, or heard or even felt, people who seem to be pleading “Please tell me I’m not crazy.” I felt the very same way as I grappled with my initial paranormal experiences in my historic old home. Today I feel a deep connection with these perplexed individuals. When I can tell them they indeed are not losing their minds, that the experiences they had are in fact quite common, I feel like I am truly helping them come to grips with what happened to them, and in at least a small way making the world a better place.
After publishing “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg” I didn’t really expect to write another book on the paranormal. Instead I thought I was doing what I often do, explore a topic that has aroused my curiosity, write about what I learned and then move on to something new and different.
But this time, instead of finding the answers to most of my questions and feeling satisfied with my research, each potential answer to my paranormal queries seems to raise a dozen or more new questions.
In short, my experiences since publishing “I Met a Ghost at Gettysburg” have revealed an entirely new world to me, a reality that is truly awe inspiring. It’s a quest I find I can’t abandon, so it continues with this book.
My goal here is to encourage people to put aside their fears and open their minds to exploring a world beyond our day-to-day understanding. Ignoring or denying the unexplained doesn’t make it go away. If anything, by doing so we cheat ourselves out of the chance to better appreciate the world around us, and to more fully explore what may well be laws of nature that we do not yet understand. Why not continue to tackle that age-old question, what happens to our personalities, our souls if you will, after we die?
Although I am not a scientist, it is my belief that scientific research may well illuminate these mysteries. Although it’s true that our investigations thus far have not given us conclusive answers, I believe we should keep trying, keep coming up with new theories, new ideas and new research methods.
Should you have a background in science and my words can somehow convince or inspire you to focus your energies toward transforming the paranormal into the normal, I would be honored. Just think, you might well change the foundation of how we understand our world.
I have found my own journey down this path to be a fascinating one – wonderment and adventure replacing fear – and I very much hope you will come along as the ride continues.
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