My Ol' Dad used to say, "If you want to catch a goose, you gotta think like a goose. Problem is, there are a lot of folks runnin' around that have never caught their goose." I really never understood what that meant until I was on a sidewalk in Times Square. It seemed to me there were an awful lot of people thinking like geese. Maybe if we want to catch a ghost, or at least record one, we need to think like a ghost. The question, "Why are you still here?" suddenly becomes exceptionally relevant. Despite the pervasive movie depictions, in reality, ghosts don't tend to stick around and jump out of the closet in some grizzly costume in order to scare the audience to death.

​

What would make someone become a ghost after death? There have been books written about 'after death' experiences. Skeptics may argue that the people who report a 'near-death experience' are not 'technically dead' if they can be brought back to life. Those same skeptics would probably say, 'They weren't technically dead' if a rotting corpse with maggots coming out of their nose came up and kissed them on the lips and then disintegrated. However, spirits that return or hang around do not tend to inhabit their earthly bodies; instead, they make their presence known in other ways.

​

So, come on a little flight of the imagination and think about walking down a street. Suddenly, a piano drops on top of you. I would bet your first reaction might be, "What?" Now imagine floating above a smashed piano and seeing only a hand sticking out and in that hand is a lottery ticket. Then you realize, "That is MY HAND!" You may also remember that it was a winning lottery ticket, and you were on your way to cash it in for millions. So now you face a dilemma; do you go toward the light that is warm and peaceful, or do you stick around to see who grabs that damn ticket! “I WILL HAUNT THEM...” Sorry, I got carried away with that figment of my imagination (I have been accused of having a vivid imagination and someone once said my head was full to overflowing with figments).

​

When I started with the paranormal investigative group, I read many books on various ghost-hunting topics. Several were written by clairvoyants who were often called to a deceased person's friend or relative to ask, "Why are you still here?" Their ability to 'communicate' with the deceased often resulted in the clairvoyant assuring the deceased that they needed to 'go toward the light.' Like our imaginary friend under the piano, they were often confused about what had happened to them and maybe inclined to stick around. The medium would assure them that they were dead, there was no need for them to remain, and they should depart this mortal world.

​

One example I recall reading about was of a dearly departed husband who often smoked cigars. The wife reported often smelling cigar smoke and called upon the clairvoyant for help. After the clairvoyant convinced the deceased husband he was dead and needed to move on, the smell of cigar smoke went away. This reminded me of my Uncle Harvey, who was fond of bean soup. Even after his departure from this earthly realm, there remained, on occasion, the most horrid reminder that Uncle Harvey was still around in one form or another. We often blamed it on the dog, but after the dog passed away, we had to admit that either the dog or Uncle Harvey was still around. My Aunt Marge, being the pragmatist she was, accepted these paranormal visitations and even took solace in them. By that time, Aunt Marge was getting quite elderly, and we always suspected she was losing her sense of smell. When Aunt Marge passed, the house was sold, and nobody ever contacted the buyer to find out if there was any remnant of either Uncle Harry or the dog. We often had a good laugh at family gatherings, imagining the poor buyers trying desperately to find the source of the frequently occurring odors that may have been left by the dearly departed.

 

Returning to looking through a ghost's eyes, I have just died in my sleep. I see a bright light, and it feels warm and inviting. I may even see relatives who have previously passed on. What am I going to do? I might try to get a message to people closest to me to comfort them. This could account for the after-death visitations. However, if the after-death experiences are correct, maybe my plan to scare the hell out of my cousin, even though he justly deserves it, might be forgotten. I certainly don't think I would like to hang around some graveyard. Even if I were in prison when I died (a possibility my dear wife thinks is plausible), that doesn't seem like a place I would like to spend eternity. So, maybe I would tell my wife and daughter goodbye and see what is on the other side of the light.

 

Although popular ghost hunting focuses on capturing some physical evidence of spirits, the link between the living and the deceased may be logically approached as a link between minds or even between souls. Perhaps, after death, we discover that most things in the earthly realm are not that important. Maybe when life seems overwhelming, we might consider what our values would be after passing on.