Haunted

When most of us think of haunted homes, the visual in our heads is generally of an older home, maybe a Victorian, perhaps abandoned, and one that has a palpably spooky or eerie atmosphere. Of course, haunted homes come in all styles and varieties, and I came across an interesting one on Apartment Therapy. Constructed during the 1920's as an Illinois Bell booster station, its exterior is conservative, but the interior is spacious, fresh, and modern. Looking through the virtual tour, it's as far from the stereotype of the haunted house as one can imagine.

The current occupants were aware of the home's haunted history when they bought it, but they say it doesn't bother them. My last home was briefly haunted, so I can certainly relate to their experience. In my case, the house was a modest cape built in the 1940's which my husband had rented out for many years. It was pretty beat up and in need of lots of care, so my husband, my then 2 year old son, and I decided to move in and renovate it before putting it on the market. I had the usual experiences: the feeling of someone being in a room with me when I was alone, hearing footsteps upstairs when no one was there, and catching a fleeting shadow moving from the corner of my eye. Fortunately for us, the presence was a benevolent one. It felt like an older man, kind of grandfatherly. He seemed happy that were taking care of the space, and soon after the renovations ended, he stopped visiting us.

I told my husband of my experiences, but he laughed them off, and told me I have an overactive imagination. I never bothered doing any research regarding my visitor. My sense was that he had lived in the home, and was grateful to see a young family living and thriving there. I don't even regard what happened as 'paranormal,' per se, but then again my definition of normal compared to most folks is pretty flexible. I never felt afraid of or threatened by the presence in any way. I did nothing to encourage him to stay, nor did I interact in any way with him. I just went about my daily round, knowing that he would leave when he was ready.