Leftover debris from summer storms accumulated in a pile in our yard, larger this year than most. Outside temperatures finally cooled to the point one can actually stand to turn the air conditioning off. Both were signs that it is truly Fall once more. My boys, including the biggest kid of them all, eagerly piled as many limbs and dried leaves as they could in our fire pit and soon the evening was lit by its merry blaze.
The activity caught the eye of Her Royal Highness. Leaving the couch she has assumed as her throne, she padded her way to the edge of the fire ring. The boys threw another pine cone or two on the pile, sending ash and embers in the air. Her Royal Highness was not impressed with this display and returned post-haste to a more cushioned viewing distance. It was one of those times I was reminded how very different she is from our late dog.
He was much more possessive of the great back doors than she ever has been. An errant snap of a branch or roar from a car in the distance would have sent him running outside with his hackles at full attention. He’d hold his ground in the middle of the yard and bark at least a half a dozen times before running along the length of the fencing to ensure that the perimeter remained secure. Only then would he return to our side with a huff, puff, and or snort.
Could we not sense the unseen danger? He would ask without words, our fireside evenings anything but relaxing. There could be squirrels out there, cats, or even worse, deer! Eventually, his doggy paranoia would grow too much and with another huff, snort, and ruff, he’d trot off for another inspection of the parameter.
Shortly after he passed, I remember staring into the fire afterward, listening to its pops and crackles, and thinking to myself how quiet the evening was without him. Motion caught my eye, a shadow against our fence. The shadow moved as the fire blazed, and I swear it was dog shaped. As quickly as I noticed it, the shadow shifted across the fence as if my dog running his defense of our perimeter one last time.
I know the light can play tricks on you and eyes can sometimes make something out of nothing, especially if there is something they really want to see, but this time of year I can’t help but wonder if there may be truth to some of the stories about things that go bump in the night. And maybe, just maybe, that’s not a bad thing. I’ve never seen that shadow again, nor heard a bark from a dog that was not there, but it was enough to make me ask what if and think about other impossible things.
I am a huge fan of paranormal stories in general, particularly so, this time of year. The thought that there may yet be mysteries out there for us to discover thrills me.
Two quotes, attributed to Albert Einstein resonate with me:
“The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
“Once you stop learning, you start dying.”
As much as I miss my late big sweetie, I am in no hurry to learn the answer to the question of whether or not there is life after death beyond what I take on faith. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other mysteries to ponder or other discoveries out there to make.
Imagine if Einstein or other researchers or scientists had stopped their work just because everyone told them the questions weren’t worth asking, or the task, impossible to perform. This is why it is so important to maintain an open mind, to accept that there are things we do not know, and to challenge the things we think we do. While some ideas may prove to never be anything more than a good fireside tale, there remains plenty out there for humanity to discover if we are only willing to consider the impossible.
Related Reading
- 10 famous scientists who held supernatural beliefs
- 6 scientific explanations for ghosts
- 10 impossibilities conquered by science
- 10 inventions no one thought would ever work
If you have a spooky story of your own to share or would like to share a bit of news that no one else thought possible, feel free to either submit it or the link in the comments section.
Allie Potts Writes 
I had a college prof who said that the most important thing we’d learn in college was to keep on asking why. He had a big influence on my thinking then, and still does, I guess. I have no spooky story to share, but find yours to be believable and a good reminder to keep on asking why!
LikeLike
It is a lesson my son’s (especially the youngest) remind me of daily. “Mom, why do thunderstorms love the ocean?” “Mom, why do we have a dog and not a cat?” “Mom, why do we eat at a table?” [examples of last night’s inquisition]
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really good one Al-Pal! I remember Ajax being on call too. HRH doesn’t need to do this protection, she has ‘people’
LikeLike
Yes, as far as she is concerned we are her loyal and loving staff. Our duty is to protect her and not the other way around unless of course an intruder is threatening to take a pillow away. Then she is truly a force to be reckoned with.
LikeLike
I have a little papillon that weighs no more than 5 lbs. and he does the same thing, viciously going after some unseen thing. Of course we do have rabbits, raccoons, coyotes and cats that meander their way through our yard from time to time. The one that really gets him going though is the neighbor taking out the trash or a knock on the door. What was interesting is that he figured out trick or treaters quickly. Instead of barking, he got to where he’d run over to me as if to tell me, “they’re here, they’re here!” then quickly go back and wait at the door for me to open it and hand out the goodies. Then he’d quickly go back to his bed and settle in until the next batch of kids showed up. And yes, he’s the court jester to my “Red Queen”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was not a fan of Halloween at all. First, there was all the candy he wasn’t allowed to eat. Then there were the ghostly decorations that moved in the wind and the constant ringing of the doorbell. The occasional burst of fireworks a few blocks down didn’t help matters either. Poor guy was on high alert the entire month of October. We made up for it in December by giving him a huge bone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A few days after my cat passed, I swear I felt him jump up on the bed. There was nothing there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent! Another visitor 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve inspired me to write my own story for Hallowe’en. Have a few, so I’ll have to give it some thought!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goody! Looking forward to it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely post, Allie. There’s one thing that I know – that there’s very very little that I know. Therefore, anything is possible 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 🙂 A little mystery does help the writing process too, don’t you think?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was walking to my tiny hovel from college classes when our long-time family dog appeared in front of me. I called home (2,000 + away) and found out she’d just died.
LikeLike
That’s really sweet. I guess she just wanted to say bye.
LikeLike
Weird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
(I’m tired. That’s all I’ve got.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Text does not adequately express how much I am laughing
LikeLiked by 1 person
Then my work here is done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great stuff, Allie. I especially loved the two quotes from Einstein, both of which resonated with me. I have been blessed with both the gift of curiosity and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, each of which makes life truly worth living. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Any day I learn something new is a successful day
LikeLike
1. Excellent cover photo
2. You know how I feel about these kind of things. Love it.
3. I 100% believe it was your pup too 💖💖
LikeLiked by 1 person
It could have been simply the way the light hit, but I like to think it was too.
And thanks 🙂 I was hoping you’d approve.
LikeLike
Hmm. “I know the light can play tricks on you and eyes can sometimes make something out of nothing…” We love to make excuses and come up with reasonable explanations instead of believing what we see. It was probably him. ❤ (Love Einstein's quotes.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
That we do. The rational mind is not always trustworthy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this!!
I am also a big fan (and believer) in the paranormal, and have had a couple of experiences of my own that defy any sort of logic whatsoever. So it doesn’t take much to convince me that you did, indeed, see the spirit of your late dog. 🙂
LikeLike
I knew I liked you 🙂 My hubby was there and didn’t see anything so isn’t quite as convinced.
LikeLike