by Rachael Wilson

Created on: July 04, 2007   Last Updated: April 10, 2009

"Ghosts are real to the people who believe in them."

My problem began because I believe in ghosts. I have since I was a little kid. I got into the field of paranormal study because I always believed, and I wanted to be able to reach out and touch what I believed in. The thing that is missing from the above statement is this: Ghosts become real...when they touch you back.

I am a former ghost hunter living in Denver, Colorado. Here's what happened when I did not respect the ghosts I was seeking...A cautionary tale...

NONE OF US HAVE A CLUE TO THE TRUE NATURE OF WHAT WE ARE SEEKING

and we are arrogant in our pursuit if we believe that we KNOW what the intentions of that nature are. For example, you can be interested in the study of Sharks...read lots of books...see lots of movies...then you realize you won't really know until you strip down and jump in the water with them... You will come to KNOW a great deal about sharks and their nature...just before they eat you. And the story of Timothy Treadwell and the Grizzly Bears? A study in the arrogance of our "experience."

I am stepping up to admit my arrogance, and to try to convey something that was made VERY CRYSTAL clear to me. You can love this field, the study, the rush, the excitement...but never lose sight of your power, your life...all the things you really love about this plane of existence. Protect yourself and those things you love before you go leaping off into the ethereal...because you think you KNOW something...you KNOW nothing.

My husband Jed and I had quit our ghost hunting group. We were going to take a break, when a funny thing happened. One of our favorite 'cult' activities is geocaching, which is an international game involving a GPS unit and "buried" treasure. Its a great (free!) activity to do with the kids, and a good way to get out and enjoy places you might otherwise just drive past without noticing. The historic "Cheese Ranch" is just one such place.

We spent the day after Thanksgiving crunching through the autumn leaves and bounding through the complex trail system in search of our buried treasure. As the GPS zoomed in, we saw that we were headed into a gully with a small stream running through it alongside the ruin of a stone wall. Reilly spotted our target hidden in the wall. We sat down to sign the logbook and claim our bounty, looking around at the bigger treasure of this hidden grotto. Pieces of fence post and old hinges lay about, along with crumbling steps and what appeared to be a foundation

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