I've actually grown up with spirits. The house that I had lived in since I was born until very recently (I moved) was very haunted. I have many many stories, and my mom has stories to match.
The most common happening happened almost every night without fail. I'd be in my room very late at night, maybe between 11:00 PM and 2:00 AM, give or take, and I would hear chanting and talking, and people rattling what sounded like chains in my living room. I'd sit up and look out into the living room and no one was there but I could hear it clear as day. This would go on for a long time, and I eventually learned to fall asleep to their chanting. I would also often hear people whispering things into my ear, but they were speaking a language I wasn't able to understand. I would try to speak to them, and it would always seem like they understood me, but I never understood them. This, again, happened almost every night, well after my entire family was in bed and dead asleep. (I can see all of their rooms from mine.) I just recently discovered that we lived near an Indian Burial ground, so I've concluded that the chanting would be Indian chanting and rituals, and the rattling of chains was probably the rattling of the beading they wore on their clothes/costumes rattling around as they danced. I've also concluded that they were talking to me in an Indian language.
Many nights, I would also see solid black masses/shadows on our porch, which I can see clearly from my room through the living room and through the big windows in the living room. They would standing there, one or two of them. My dogs would trigger the outside light, and they would always be standing at the edge of the light's circle so that they were only a tad illuminated. They'd stay there for a long time, moving around, talking, ect, and finally I would just fall asleep. This would also be very late at night. (I don't sleep very well, mostly because I was always hearing things.) One day, I decided to try to De-bunk this. I tried to recreate it that night, and was never able to. The shadows always stood in an open area as well, and the shadows that were caused by the lamp-posts on our porch couldn't make the shadows I was seeing.
One night, I heard what sounded like a party on our porch. I looks out there and saw a couple of shadows moving around, dancing, stuff like that. I could also hear the faint sound of a piano or something like that. They were laughing and rattling dishes. That only happened one night. Keep in mind, we live a ways away from anyone, and this was about 3:00 AM.
I would also hear knocking sounds and noises I was never able to explain. They were WAY to loud to be rats. I would hear them in the house and out in the woods beyond where people aren't allowed.
We had a playroom at the end of our home. A lot of times, (this happened to both me and my mother) as you walked into the kitchen, you'd look into the playroom, and you'd see the shadow of a young girl playing in there. You'd look away, and when you'd look back, she was gone. Many times, as I left the kitchen, I'd see her watching me go. She once waved at me, which freaked me out a tad. I also tried to De-bunk this, but I was never able to make my shadow do what that little girl was doing.
A couple of times, I'd see the same young girl, late at night, sitting on top of my dresser starring at me. She wore a pretty little dress and slippers. She's be there for a few moments, and then she would just disappear. A couple of times, I would hear "Hello!" as I sat up in bed to take a closer look at her. The voice sounded like that of a very young girl in a very happy mood, like she was excited to see that I was awake and looking at her. One time, when I saw her, I whispered hello to her. She said hello back, and was gone. I never saw her in my room again, but I saw her in the playroom for years afterward. I think it was because I finally believed she was there and as such she had no reason to stay to convince me in my room late at night. =P
Recently, about a year before we moved out, both of our dogs passed away within 2 months of each other. The entire family saw them roaming the house in various places since then. Going through the door, lying in their favorite spots, and running on the porch and hillside where we played with them. You'd hear them barking at night, going through the dog-door, and they'd walk up to you during the day. They would lay at our feet on our beds at night, and nudge our hands. They never left us, and I am forever grateful about that. (Oh god I feel tears coming on now...)
I would also see shadows darting back and forth across our garage, and in the lot behind our house.
In every part of the house, I'd often get the feeling that I was being watched. I was always looking over my shoulder and checking my surroundings. I was never able to shake off that feeling. I think that once I may have even been touched. I was walking thought the playroom and something grabbed my hand. I think it may have been the little girl.
All up and down the street I lived on, there were reports of shadows, knocking sounds, talking, screams, and other such things. I once saw at our street sign leading onto our street a man standing next to it. It was very late at night, but as our headlights flashed over it I could see him clearly. He was tall and wearing very old clothing, an old suit and a top hat. He had a mustache and a beard and his hair was very thick. He just watched us go by as we drove by, and when I looked out the back window to see if he was still there, he was gone. It was in a certain place where it was very easy to get hit by a car, so no one walks on our street, there are no sidewalks or anything. I saw the same man a few times.
My old house was built in 1915. There are rumors that someone died in there at one point, maybe the little girl? Anyway, the entire area is very old, and I believe it is all haunted. I have seen things all over the area in houses, recreation enters, everything. Now that I have moved away, I of course don't see them anymore. A few new things as come up recently, but I will have to see these over a number of years to start to think that maybe my new house is haunted too. Who knows, maybe the little girl followed me here, eh?
I firmly believe in ghosts/spirits. They are real, and I have been around them my entire life. They can't hurt you, but they are around. They're just curious about us. And quite frankly, I am extremely curious about them.
