I’ve had one experience in my life that convinced me (or pretty close) that something happens after a person passes on and, at least right afterwards, some interaction with people left behind is possible. It was an experience I choose to hold private but, as I noted, it was pretty convincing.

When we hauled our travel trailer down to Gettysburg last year, we were aware that the area is considered one of the most haunted places in America. Certainly, during the Civil War it was one of the deadliest! Upwards of 50,000 Americans were casualties of the Gettysburg conflict. We made the rounds of the battlefields with the help of a CD containing an audio guide from TravelBrains.com (highly recommended).

The conclusion that Deb and I both arrived at was that, despite everything we had read about the Battle of Gettysburg, despite the films we had seen, and despite the dioramas, pictures and other exhibits we visited throughout Gettysburg, it was impossible for us to truly appreciate the horrors experienced by the participants in that terrible struggle.

While there, we went on a ghost tour. It included a walk through the Farnsworth House, where we were regaled with stories of Civil War sniper activity centered there and various spirit activities that resulted and, supposedly, persist today. We experienced none of this, but it was an interesting evening and dinner in the Farnsworth House Tavern was excellent.

Prior to leaving for Gettysburg, we had watched the film Gettysburg starring Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, Sam Elliott and Tom Berenger. What a movie! It did as good a job as I suppose any film can of portraying the reality of such horrendous combat. Anyway, we were told that the cast and crew, when in town to make the movie, kind of adopted the Farnsworth House Tavern as its wining and dining place. In the tavern, behind glass all along one wall, is a significant collection of actual uniforms and props used in the film.

We took lots of pictures and it was in reviewing them after we returned home that we made our discovery. Orbs! Every hear of spirit orbs? They are balls or spots of light that show up in photographs. Some contend that they are actually the physically visible “spirits” of people who have passed on but are tied to a particular place. And yes, others debunk that, claiming that they have nothing whatsoever to do with spirits or the supernatural. All I know is that I have never before seen such phenomena in other photographs Deb and I have taken. I’m no expert. I can’t say whether they are of a ghostly nature, or simply photographic artifacts of some sort. I’ve included some of the photos here so you can see what I mean.

As I said at the top of this post, I’ve become pretty well convinced that something does or can go on at least right after someone passes away. Why not orbs?