(At a desert dump, I found some nipples. Most folks walk past them. Not me, I think, "Hey nipple shot!")
I remember the day I packed away my Barbie dolls when I was turning 13. I looked at them and sighed. It was sad. No more make-believe. No more trying out real life scenarios in the safety of a Barbie townhouse. Now I had to live in the “real world.”
Well, one thing I've found about ghost hunting and exploring the world of the paranormal is that there is no need to grow up. As adults, we have a lot of responsibilities. Really too many, but we do miss those days when we had summer off and our biggest concern was whether we'd hear the ice cream man when he cruised too fast by our houses.
The last frontier for those of us who want to stay young for life is to explore. To ask questions. To seek knowledge. To go on those adventures I'm always pushing on my Adventure Sunday posts. Ask my dear friend Julie and she will tell you that I am a big excited kid. I want to pull the car over to take a picture of a hilarious roadside sign that says “Caution: Slow Children” and I want to stop at every abandoned building to poke around in it and take photos. I want to see how far my voice carries on a scenic overpass. I want to buckle up Dale the Doll in the back seat to get some hilarious pictures of him doing things that Dale would be seriously embarrassed to pose with.
How can we not grow up? Be spontaneous. Pack a picnic. Blindfold your significant other. Take a road trip. Turn down any roads and see what you find. Go to the outskirts of town and explore the rural areas. Go take pictures next to a famous haunted railroad track. Go on a ghost tour and ask questions. Sit in your backyard with a camera on a clear night and look for UFOs.
You wonder why people are into the paranormal? Most of us have had the unexplained happen to us and want to know more, but the unifying factor is that we are inquisitive, don't always trust the grown-ups answers to things and sometimes have to get into the thick of it to understand it.
If you continue to explore the world of the paranormal and unexplained, the world of nature, the world of knowledge, you will always be young in body, mind and soul.
Shows I recommend to make you remain a curious kid:
“Destination Truth” (Syfy)
“Ancient Aliens” (History Channel)
“Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files” (Syfy)
“Ghost Hunters” (Syfy)
“Brad Meltzer's Decoded” (History Channel)
"Beast Hunter" (National Geographic)
Here's the gadget for the week; a clip-on watch/LED light/Compass all in one, $29.95 with free shipping. Okay, I'm part McGuyver, what do you expect from me?
Now, I suggest as it's thawing out, you take a stroll at some of the scenic cemeteries. It's not hard to find historic cemeteries in your area, just Google them. Here's some in different parts of the country that are very picturesque. One of the best ways to deal with concern about death is to spend some time walking around one of these gorgeous memorial parks. The headstones have intriguing epitaphs and the statues are often gorgeous and sad. Bring a camera! Bring a snack. Bring the whole family. Try your hand and capturing the mood, whether it's the dead trees above a headstone, taken from down below lying on the ground with the headstone reaching up to the trees and gray sky, or a view looking up a lichen-covered statue. Some of the best pictures you'll take are in cemeteries, some of the best hikes there, as well. There is something soul satisfying about the peaceful retreat and the realization we all are more than the headstones we leave behind. Get a new perspective, have a great hike, take amazing pictures and venture into your local cemetery. Bring some flowers, leave one each baby's grave. Whisper the names of people who died so long ago, no one visits them or says their name any longer. Let me know how your retreat goes. Here's just some cities around the US that have gorgeous and atmospheric cemeteries:
Detroit MI
(above) Woodlawn Cemetery, on Woodward between 7 and 8 mile, opened in 1896. Since then, according to cemetery estimates, more than 71,000 have been interred there. When Mr. Burton wrote his history of the City, Woodlawn was relatively new, and interred, he estimated, about 6,000.
Pittsburgh, PA
(above) Allegheny Cemetery
Located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Allegheny Cemetery is one of Pittsburgh's largest, oldest and most picturesque cemeteries. More than 125,000 dead are interred on the grounds of the 300 acre rural garden cemetery.
Baltimore, MD
(above) Green Mount Cemetery. Gorgeous, very historic, amazing cemetery. 1501 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21202
Charleston, SC
(above) Magnolia Cemetery
70 Cunningham Ave
Historic and beautiful
Birmingham, AL
(above) Oakhill Cemetery
1120 N. 19th St
Historic
Houston, TX
(above) Glenwood Cemetery
The Glenwood Cemetery is located at 2525 Washington Avenue in Houston, Texas. It was the first cemetery in Houston to be professionally designed and opened in 1871. The cemetery is situated between Washington Avenue on the North side and Memorial Drive on the South side, the latter overlooking Buffalo Bayou.
San Diego, CA
(above) Since 1869. Mount Hope Cemetery is conveniently located near downtown at 3751 Market Street, San Diego CA 92102.
(above) Boise, ID
Dry Creek Cemetery
Established in 1865, is located northwest of Boise, Idaho, in a serene setting along the Boise Foothills. On a clear day one can see the State Capitol and the majority of the Boise Valley, a beautiful panoramic view.
Dry Creek Cemetery became a taxing district in 1936.
