Do you believe in ghosts?

I've been fascinated by ghosts, or the idea of ghosts, ever since I was a child. In elementary school I wrote dozens of ghost stories, read countless books about hauntings and spirits and reveled in Halloween and the 'haunted houses.' Most of these interests never died, although I stopped writing ghost stories once I entered junior high. I want to believe in ghosts more than most people, but after 27 years of seeking paranormal experiences and not finding any, I must admit that I am growing more and more skeptical.

There are many out there who will say I don't have "the gift," or that "my portals" just aren't open to the spirit world. However, I think that's just something people say to feel superior. We all like to feel special, and if having a rare connection to the spirit world doesn't make one special, than what does? Others will say I haven't been to the right place at the right time. I worked at a ghost tour company for two years and met dozens of individuals who claimed that if I visited this place or that, I was bound to have a paranormal experience. Well, I visited several so-called haunted locations, many more than once, and have yet to experience anything even remotely paranormal.

So if I don't believe in ghosts, than how do I explain the thousands, if not millions, of ghost stories shared throughout human history? Well, I think that most stories stem from experiences that people can't explain, and that these individuals automatically, and quite erroneously, attribute such experiences to ghosts or spirits. I believe that other stories come from individuals who want so badly to believe in ghosts and hauntings that they convince themselves such things exist, and are quick to find reasons to support their beliefs. Still more people lie about seeing or hearing ghosts, and others dream or hallucinate that they have. I think that one can explain away most so-called paranormal experiences by these sorts of things, but there are still those stories that make me wonder, and it's these stories that keep me from scoffing at the idea of ghosts altogether.

At this point in my life, I don't think that ghosts exist. As much as I'd like to believe otherwise, I personally don't have any reason to believe in spirits or hauntings. I don't mean to imply that all people who claim to have seen ghosts are liars, I am just one of those stubborn individuals who cannot believe in something like ghosts unless he or she experiences it for themselves, or unless indisputable scientific evidence exists to support it. Unfortunately, I haven't found either. Perhaps one day this will change, but as times ticks by, my skepticism only grows.

So, dear readers, do you believe in ghosts? Have you had a paranormal experience? If so, I'd love to hear them. I am skeptical, but I still love a good (supposedly true) ghost story.