Page 28 - Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained Vol. 3

8 Ghosts and Phantoms

Smith, Scott S. “The Evidence for Animal Afterlife.” physical laws—and even more importantly, is
Fate, March 2001, 20–21. capable of surviving physical death.
———. Pet Souls: Evidence that Animals Survive
Documented stories of such apparitions
Death. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Light Source
may be found in the literature of all eras and
Research, 1994.
all cultures. Images of loved ones who have
Sussman, Dalia. “See Spot Go to Heaven? The Pub-
come to say farewell, to offer comfort and
lic’s Not So Sure.” ABCNews/Beliefnet Poll, 2001.
solace before their transition to another plane
[Online] http://www.beliefnet.com/story/78/
of existence, appear to rich and poor alike.
story_7888. html.
On the night of June 11, 1923, Gladys
Watson had been asleep for three or four hours
Apparitions
when she was awakened by someone calling
There is usually agreement among psychi- her name. As she sat up in bed, she was able to
cal researchers that when someone refers to an discern the form of her beloved grandfather
apparition, he or she is generally speaking of a leaning toward her. “Don’t be frightened, it’s
“ghost” that is known to the percipient, rather only me. I have just died,” the image told her.
than some ethereal unknown presence.
Among the most common and universal of all Watson started to cry and reached across
psychic phenomena is that of the “crisis the bed to awaken her husband. “This is how
apparition,” that ghostly image which is seen, they will bury me,” Grandad Parker said, indi-
heard, or felt when the individual represented cating his suit and black bow tie. “Just wanted
by the image is undergoing a crisis, especially to tell you I’ve been waiting to go ever since
death. A familiar example might be that of a Mother was taken.”
man who is sitting reading in his home in The Watsons’ house was next door to the
Dearborn, Michigan, who glances up from his Lilly Laboratories in Indianapolis, Indiana.
newspaper to see an image of his father, The bedroom was dimly illuminated with
dressed in his customary three-piece business lights from the laboratory. Grandad Parker
suit, waving to him in a gesture of farewell. was clearly and solidly to be seen. Then,
The percipient is startled, for his father lives before Gladys Watson had awakened her hus-
in Austin, Texas. However, within the next band, Grandad Parker had disappeared.
few minutes the telephone rings, and it is a
call from his sister in Austin, informing him Mr. Watson insisted that his wife had had a
that their father has just passed away. nightmare. He told her that her grandfather was
alive and well back in Wilmington, Delaware.

Gladys Watson was adamant that she
knew that she had seen Grandad Parker and
IT is theorized that at the moment of death the that it had been no dream. He had come to
bid her farewell.
soul is freed from the body and is able to soar free
It was 4:05 A.M. when Watson called his
of time and space. wife’s parents in Wilmington to prove that the
experience had been a dream. Mrs. Parker was
surprised to receive the call. She had been up
most of the night with her father-in-law and
Some psychical researchers have theorized
that at the moment of death the soul is freed had been waiting for morning before she
from the confines of the body and is able to would let the Watsons know that Grandad
soar free of time and space and, in some had passed away at 4:00 A.M.
instances, is able to make a last, fleeting con- Watson had been awakened by the fully
tact with a loved one. These projections at the externalized apparition of her grandfather at
moment of death betoken that something approximately 3:30 A.M.Indianapolis time.
nonphysical exists within humans that is Her husband had gotten out of bed and made
capable of making mockery of all accepted the telephone call at about 4:05 A.M. Grandad

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