Thank you OQ and Dawn for giving me so much love, support and credit. I promise you both that you have done just as much for me. I would be lost hearing my own lonely echo if not for your feedback and sharing your own experiences. And there are numerous times that I have prayed for an answer or support and immediately one of you has popped up to provided it for me. I think we are a team on various levels.

My awakening was when my mom told me that her mother visited her in spirit. My mom was not the type to concoct such a story and one of the few people who could have impacted me so deeply with such a story. It snapped me out of my cynicism and set me on a path to find out if there is something other than cold hard "fact" like living and dying.

I immediately received syncronicities and answers once I asked the universe with sincerity to let me know if there is something else. Soon afterward I had the urge to see if I could capture evidence of some sort for myself using a camera. And it worked! Ever since I have amassed tons of evidence and clues, every one of the clues eventually falling into place, creating answers with just enough substance to keep me going and looking forward.

Thanks for always making me feel special about being one of the first nature spirit sites, Dawn. And for encouraging me to keep posting.

As for my experience with skeptics.. I feel some are far from ready to accept beyond their current belief system. If they troll around paranormal sites (as they do) I think it is because they would like to believe (otherwise why would they be there), and they are looking for that special something that will convince them enough to open their minds. But as they search and do not find what they need, they become more and more cynical and get caught up in a vicious cycle of frustration because the ability to step out on that limb and believe is a prerequisite to getting the additional personal experience and proof they desire.

When I used to post amongst skeptics, I found it helpful when I graciously accepted their skeptical stance and thanked them for at least having a look at my beliefs (even when they started off rudely, I remained polite). It helped them lower their defences (knowing I was not trying to attack their position, nor on a mission to convert them) and some of them actually began "seeing" what I was pointing out and at the least they stopped attacking.