You Are Not Alone! Never have been! Never will be!

I believe it's safe to say just about every culture in existence, in every part of the world, has its stories of unexplained phenomenon and sightings of creatures and phantasms and such.

My family certainly has their fair share of stories of apparitions and visitations by questionable presences that defy description, explanation, and logic; and yes, even I can recall some personal experiences, face to face(?) experiences that remain very clear in my memory even after decades.

So, I thought to help you welcome in the New Year with a better understanding of who we are, what we are, and where we are, I would offer you a little ditty. And just you know, I am pulling this out of a current draft of a new book in which I delve deeper into this whole concept of You Are Not Alone! Never have been! Never will be!

If you are one of those people who believe the world orbits around you, that the sun shines only on your pretty face, then perhaps this will help you to come to terms with just where you really stand as far as life on this Earth goes, and who or what could be standing right next to you, or looking over your shoulder even as you read this.

You see, it has long been established, documented, researched, and confirmed that we, humans, are not alone, not on the face of this planet, not in this realm of consciousness, not in this phase of life, or sphere of life. Rather, we are co-existing with a myriad of life forms, and perhaps energy based personalities and characters, some that are accepting of us and may even wish us happiness and peace, while many, many others simply wish us gone, and let us know in their own little ways.

The obvious visitations by what we dub as extraterrestrials, beings obviously, and undoubtedly far superior intellectually and technology speaking to simple minded stick and wheel humans, are the best known as they are highly publicized by news outlets, investigators, and scientist.

Please note that while we call these beings extraterrestrials, there are those, scientist and investigators, who believe, based on volumes of research, that we may very well be something along the lines of an annoying virus on their planet. For it is they who can travel the space we can only look up and marvel at. It is they who can dive to the bottom of the oceans we can only look down into wondering.

But there are other visitors that can come and go with such ease, in and out of this world we so arrogantly claim as our very own.

In many, but certainly not all, cases the experiences, visitations, manifestations, and peeks through various realms and windows of existence take place in unexpected locations. A living room in a modern new home; an airliner cruising at 30 thousand feet, or a dense jungle deep in still developing parts of the world.

In my personal experiences, it would seen many visitors prefer the simpler, uncomplicated versions of humans, perhaps due to the fact that they are more accepting and even welcoming.

Again, in my family's case, we pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck, but we always had roofs over our heads, not always four walls, but pretty much always a roof and food for the day. We almost always lived in older neighborhoods, like the King Williams district; places wrought with history and mystic, and yes, ghost stories. In these places, it was almost commonplace for us to experience a myriad of unexplained noises, such as the sound of gravel or dirt being shoveled against the wall of our dilapidated one room apartment. (Of course, a check would reveal no evidence of any digging whatsoever.)

But even more upsetting were the visions of characters draped in black capes and whatnot just outside our door. (We had to go out of the apartment to use an outhouse of sorts.) And then of course there were the stories of our Grandmother enduring her arguments with an entity beckoning to accompany him away. Of course, this could have just been a Sancho, but true believers always pegged him as the Angel of Death.

As if all these (there were many, many more such incidents) weren't enough to curl your hair, and despite being warned countless times about engaging, conversing, encouraging such entities, my lovely sisters just couldn't resist the thrill of doing just that.

My youngest sister found it necessary to one day open our house to a mysterious old woman draped in head to toe black, allowing her to wonder within our home casting who knows what over us. But even better, and again despite knowing better, all my sisters gathered eagerly to communicate with the now infamous spirit, Raul, I believe it identified itself as, via the infamous Quiji board.

Then, one Christmas, Raul threatened to burn the house down. I believe that was the end of the Quiji.

But Raul wasn't the only spirit in that old wood frame house, as it was filled almost nightly with odd occurrences and visitations of varied kinds including late night footsteps down the creaky hallway, knocking and tapping on interior doors, visions of images in attic windows not accessible from inside the house, images sitting and waving from the front porch swing, and the assorted whispering and moaning in the dark.

Possibly the most troubling experiences were of our dear mother who would encounter a force that she described as approaching from the hallway and not only entering her bedroom, but approaching the side of her bed. She would tell of feeling the presence, then the depression on her mattress as if the entity would sit beside her. Finally, she would feel pressure against her chest, as if the entity were trying to suffocate her. This of course, happened on more than one occasion.

The experiences within that one house alone would lead one to believe that it was a portal of sorts through which many visitors would traverse, some obviously stopping to look about. Oddly enough, a niece recently reported a very vivid dream of our mother (her grandmother), in which Grandma complained that the current residents of the house were boring. This made me stop and think, as just about every dream I have of my Mother, she is in that house.

The evidence that such energy exist and manifest itself to us in familiar visions is well documented. However, there are other incidents of manifestations that defy explanation and/or purpose and intentions.

To disallow any contradiction or cries of hearsay, I will recount only incidents I have witnessed and documented personally. And I will start with the most recent. But first, allow me to offer a setting.

Dhes, my wife, and I are presently in the Philippines; but not in urban Philippines such as Manila; provincial, such as in a barrio that is more representative of pre-electricity, pre-running water era. The majority of people here still live in simple Nipas, and prepare meals in dirty kitchens. Water is retrieved from centrally located hand-pump wells and carried home in buckets and jugs. A very simple life to be sure.

The terrain is dense jungle. There are well worn paths into the dense jungle that challenge travelers during daylight hours; night walking is for those most familiar with the paths, and by that I mean, human walkers. For, as it is often said, when the sun goes down, the jungle comes alive.

I shared the story of the playful, at times curious Tinker Bell fireflies. But, there are far more ominous things out there. One of which seems focused on Dhes at the present.

Every culture has their names for their specific entities, one name common in the Philippines is the Aswang, one of the most fearsome monsters in the Philippines.

Most commonly described as a witch-like character, the Aswang can change shape and size at will, is territorial and essentially a shy nocturnal creature. It uses the darkness and the jungle to their advantage. These are creatures said to prey on the ill and dying, described as eaters of the dead. But, they are also said to be sensitive types that can be angered through disrespect, denial, and annoyance.

Whatever the case, Dhes has experienced some inexplicable, curious events recently which some believe―okay, many believe, may be the work of such a creature. Such as the markings she experienced a few nights ago.

After a fairly uneventful day, one which we walked about and spoke to neighbors and kids, we retired home and set to relax with a movie. On showering she experienced a burning sensation on rinsing her hip. There etched into her skin was what appeared to be a crude pentagram, the symbol for infinity, and an arrow point towards her abdomen.

While the marking were crude, they were not random. These marks were aligned and symmetrical enough to rule out some haphazard brushing against some bush or nail. During our earlier walkabout, I easily (and painfully) found a broken Christmas ornament as it penetrated my chinela piercing my foot. I know Dhes would have noted the multiple scratching by an obviously sharp object. Her wounds were deep, pitted and fresh.

We treated her etchings and locked down the room for the night, as these creatures access their victims through open windows and doors. But before I go on with the etching incident, let me share a still earlier incident that may, or may not, have bearing on this.

Our home is still under construction. Our ceiling is still open, as electrical issues are completed, and other things dealt with. But the master BR, bath, and closet are completed.

The area is approximately 36x15 feet. And, if you know about construction, or peeked into your attic you understand there are rafters and blocks supporting all.

Well, besides the Aswang, there are many other creatures lurking such as the tree people, invisible for the most part, but none the less among us. And, there is even one likened to a Sentar, that is to say a hoofed creature, observed around our home many times in the past.

Well, one night we are awakened by what can only be described as something not only running, but playing with a ball on our ceiling. At first we thought maybe a mouse trying to crack open a nut of sorts. But the more we listened the odder it got.

Whatever the creature was, it was rolling an object the length of the 36 feet. What should have been a virtual impossibility due to the rafters and blocks of woods.

We also listened closer to the steps. Exactly! Mice don't stomp about, they're quiet as, well mice. Gekkos pitter patter, but what we were hearing would mean there was one hell of a soccer playing gekko up there.

Then Dhes tells me to just bang on the ceiling, to chase whatever it is away, but that's when things get really weird, because on my banging, the playful thing does stop rolling it's toy, but only to stomp back down at me; almost as if annoyed I have interrupted it.

Now, it's time to get serious. We're both out of bed climbing a ladder armed with flashlights and broom handles read to evict, but..nothing. Dhes does gets a glimpse at a mouse hopping the rafters, but again, a quiet exit, and certainly no sign of any rolling ball.

Dhes reports the experience to her older sister, who is two rooms down from ours. Her room does not have a ceiling yet, so the next night, when the playful things are back, she easily peeks up to check out the commotion.

The next morning she explains to Dhes that what she saw was four beautiful, bright white, round mice playing on our ceiling.

By her description, I believe what she saw were four orbs.

I pulled this from the website The Different Colors of Ghost Orbs and Their Meanings. White or Silver Orbs are representative of spiritually; the white (or silver) is associated with a connection with a higher source. Some investigators believe orbs that are either white or silver in appearance are an indication that a spirit is trapped on this plane. Others believe it may be a sign that the spirit is there to offer protection to the people in the area. White energy is typically perceived as highly positive in nature.

Could the orbs be protecting Dhes from the Aswang? After all, they were focused over her bedroom. Was the body art a frustrated act? A “Maybe I can't eat you, but I can mark you.” act of envy? By simple definition the symbol infinity, in reference to human beings, infers possession of infinite goodness, justice, truth, love, mercy, wisdom, power, light. The Penta, in relation to the biochemistry of a human being, is listed as pentavalent, a chemical balancing agent, critical in ensuring stability and reasonableness. Certainly all envious traits.

I'm googling to see if I can get some speculation from internet soothsayers, prophesiers, seers, crystal gazers, or oracles. (Responses should be interesting!)

The thing is, Dhes is blessed. She is protected, shielded by some force, and that's from childhood. Which could offer even another possibility. As a child, on this spot, she cheated death, and in doing that, she may have cheated the Aswang. Even in the U.S., in both California and Texas, she has been shielded and defended by something or some. Besides, being blessed, or maybe in association with that, she has a tendency to attract visitors. She is forever seeing images passing by her, as if observing her. She also experiences strange, bizarre incidents, as the one I'll close with.

Once, feeling depressed, she ventured out to her tree house garden. On reaching the back of house, she suddenly found herself engulfed in an swarm of Monarchs. She described these butterflies as playful, swirling around her, engulfing her totally, as a Dust Devil would. She said even the cats got caught up in the fun as they hopped around, rolling in the never ending flood of butterflies.

She looked around and saw that there were no butterflies anywhere else, not across the street, not next door, nowhere but around her. After lifting her spirits with there beauty and majesty, they left her standing there with her cats, able to survive her day.

So, this new year, as you live your Earth bound life. As you maybe gaze into the stars and wonder. As you turn to that sound, that fleeting shadow, or that subtle whisper, remember, this may be home to you, but it is also home to so many, many others. Share. Display kindness. If you fear some, know that there are others to protect. Never curse the unknown, for you don't know if they are able to curse you back, because always remember You Are Not Alone! Never have been! Never will be!

Happy New Year!