It is natural for guests to wonder about my authenticity on the ghost tours I lead -- if I have had any paranormal experiences. The fact is that I have had paranormal experiences since childhood, but I learned long ago to accept these experiences as part of my life and not think that it was anything unusual. I used to think that everyone had the same types of experiences I had and that it was just normal to sense ghosts.

As a young man living in rural Missouri, I found it relaxing to take long nightly walks through the woods. Several dirt roads and paths crisscrossed the woods around my home, and nearly every weekend, I would hike down one of those roads at about midnight. It was oddly comforting to me to be in the middle of the woods with the trees whispering in the breeze and the occasional owl hooting somewhere in the distance. From time to time, I would walk into a cold spot along the trail and somehow know that something was happening there. I did not know much about ghosts at that age, so I called those spots "haints" from the stories I heard the old-timers tell. Today I am much more thoughtful about ghosts and realize that I was in the middle of one or more orbs that were taking my body heat as a form of energy so a ghost could later materialize at that spot.

When I lead ghost tours today, I always carry two selenite crystals, a small one on a necklace, and a larger bar in a leather bag. Selenite, sometimes called the "moonstone" due to its pale appearance, is said to help a person better understand subconscious impressions, and that seems to be the realm of ghosts. Often on my tour, I get that same chilly feeling that I had on those late-night hikes from long ago, so I know that there is a spirit in the area. I catch the fleeting glimpse of a shadow some nights, though I try to stay focused on my guests. Of course, I also have second-hand experiences of the stories and photos that my guests share with me after the tour.

So, yes, I've had paranormal experiences and believe that I have experienced several ghosts over my lifetime.