Column: Ghost stories provide hope for the living

I wrote a ghost story for my creative writing class last semester.

Well, it was more of a “ghost-love” story than a story that would really spook you. The main synopsis was this: A five-year-old boy died in a car wreck.

He wasn’t supposed to die, so he became a “lost ghost,” a ghost-like creature that still aged even though he was dead, and was unable to move on.

He was supposed to grow up, become a lawyer, and marry his future soul mate, named Adele.

So he follows Adele as she grows up, and eventually reveals himself to her. They fall in love, and she almost kills herself to be with him. After the incident, he never reveals himself to Adele again.

Years later, Adele gets into a fatal car crash and also becomes a “lost ghost.”

In the end, the two both get a second chance and become human again.

Ever since I wrote that story, I’ve just been so interested in learning more about ghosts, or hearing ghost stories.

I’ve recently become addicted to the show, “A Haunting,” on the Discovery channel and have watched “Most Terrifying Places in America” parts one and two on the Travel channel.

One of my most important goals in life is to write a novel (several, if it’s possible), and I think the genre I may choose will be ghost stories.

And I mean the spooky kind of ghost stories-not the sappy kind I wrote for my creative writing class.

I do believe ghosts are real.

How else do you explain the strange paranormal experiences people have had?

There’s got to be something out there.

As strange as it sounds, believing in ghosts gives me hope.

Since ghosts exist, that means the human race isn’t just here for nothing.

Life means something. If life didn’t mean anything, after we died, wouldn’t we just disappear into thin air?

The reason why most ghosts are still here is because they can’t move on or have unfinished business.

That’s important.

And that’s a reason to believe that each and every one of our lives has a meaning.

Sam Sottosanto can be reached at 581-7942 or at [email protected]