The Shadow of The Gift

Let me just start by saying that I have always had paranormal experiences and that this ability to "see dead people" to use the movies greatest line is not always a gift as many of todays readers will attest to.

My first experience happened when I was such a small child I only have the details I have been provided with by my Mother. She relates that as a small child I would often speak of what she supposed to be "imaginary friends", these I believe today may have been spirits or ghosts which were attracted by "my gift".

One summer day many years ago when I being a small child of two played like all children in the mud, making pies in our backyard. Mother looked on through the kitchen window as she did dishes. She relates that strangely I repeatedly seemed to show my mud pie endeavors to something that she could not see but seemed to be at the height of a tall man standing, all the while I seemed to be chatting happily to this same spot where she could see nothing. She said this seemed strange to her whereas it continued for over two hours.When I finally came into the house she said she asked me what I had been doing and she said I turned to her in an offhand way and said simply "I was talkin' to Grandpa Bledsoe". This statement caused my mom much consideration whereas "Grandpa Bledsoe" was my mother's grandfather who had died when my mom was only eight years old herself.

My mother related this story to her mother (Grandpa Bledsoe's daughter) upon our next visit since she was still trying to figure out just how I could know the name of a man who had died many years before I was born and had been gone so long. No one ever really spoke about him anymore and definitely not in my presence. My Grandmother turned to my mom (Grandma had the gift herself) and told my mother, well if Dad could come back to see one of the great grand kids it would be yours.

My mom was her grandpa's favorite grandchild and he must have crossed back over to visit with his favorite's own child or so it seems.

This story always brings comfort to me whereas my own father passed away a couple of years ago and it reinforces my belief that are loved ones are never far from us, no matter how much time has passed.

My own fathers passing brings me to suspect that the family "gift" has been passed on to my children.

Two weeks before my father's passing I was sitting in a tub of hot water soaking a sore back I had the shower curtain closed to hold in the heat whereas the bathroom was a bit chilly (ha should have known), I suddenly knew I was not alone in the room even though a human presence was not possible as the door was locked. Being used to this sort of thing I ignored it at first. I could sense that whatever it was, it was just beyond the closed shower curtain after a while I became tired of "it" and I said out loud for it to speak up or go away. At that moment I heard a click and the bathroom was plunged into darkness, now whether you are used to these experiences or not you are not prepared for this and I immediately started telling myself that the bulb had just blown and continued with my bath.

I did notice that whatever had been in the room was no longer there, so this helped to calm me. But I have to say I was not surprised when I went to shut off the light (so when I changed the bulb it would not be on) to find the switch was in the off position and the room flooded with bright light when I flicked it.

I suppose I angered it when I told it to leave.

The thing I was finding unusual was that we had lived in our house for over 4 years at the time and nothing had ever been there before. I brushed it off until two days later my nine year old daughter went into the bathroom and a couple minutes later she come sprinting out eyes wide and face a ashen color. I asked her what was wrong because she was plainly upset she went on to say that she was in the bathroom and plainly saw the switch turn itself to the off position. Hmm could "the gift" have passed through to another generation?.

It is important to note that this had never happened prior to this and it has never happened afterwards.

Another two days after the incident with my daughter I was alone at home sorting clothes in the basement to put into the washer. I was standing bent over at the foot of the stairs with the basement door (which opens off the living room) above me open. Something moving upstairs got my attention and I watched from the foot of the stairs as a black thing glided across the living room floor and disappeared. It seemed to have been draped in a black material like a shroud, it has it's back to me so I could not see a face.

I believe all of these related experiences were caused by someone trying to prepare me for what was to come, for about three hours later the cops arrived to say my father had passed unexpectedly.

You see as I have said sometimes the "gift" isn't a gift.