Conversations with the Universe: Ghosts in the Night

The Little One sat thoughtfully by the window of their home, gazing at the stars shining brightly in the autumn evening sky. Lately, she had spent a lot of time watching documentaries about ghost hunting and near-death experiences. The research had stirred questions in her, questions to which she had no answers. But the Little One knew exactly who to turn to.

“Universe,” the Little One called to her dearest friend. “I want to talk about ghosts. Why do they exist? Why would any departed soul remain here, watching the lives of mortals?”

The Universe answered after a pause. “Ghosts in the night, Little One, are a complex phenomenon. Some are time-bound impressions — remnants of energies and memories that have become trapped here on Earth. They may be caught in a particular moment of their life, for example, because of a sudden death or deep sorrow. They don’t always understand that their physical life has ended.”

The Little One nodded. “But shouldn’t the soul, at death, automatically be released and return to the light? Or is that light not available to everyone?”

“Yes,” the Universe replied. “But sometimes a soul can remain bound to this world because it isn’t ready to face its death. Some spirits even stay by choice, wishing to protect loved ones or to balance energies. Others don’t know how to move on and live in a loop of memories — like a dream from which they haven’t awakened. Time and experience are different beyond the veil, Little One,” the Universe reminded her.

“If time is so different, why do people say that three o’clock at night is when ghosts are most active?” the Little One wondered. “Is that true?”

“This time, Little One, is called the witching hour. In Christian symbolism, three in the morning is seen as the inverse of the hour of Jesus’s death — three in the afternoon — and it has been regarded as a time of dark forces. Historically, witches and occultists believed magic was strongest then,” the Universe explained gently.

The Little One nodded. “But is there anything real in that?”

The Universe smiled. “It’s more myth than reality. At night, especially around three, your body is in its deepest sleep. If you wake, your mind is more sensitive, and a quiet world can feel unsettling. Many people connect ordinary phenomena to ghosts simply because they know the myth. Ghosts don’t follow the clock. Everything is more timeless than you’d think.”

The Little One considered this for a moment, then moved on. “Why do ghost hunters seem to experience so much activity in certain places? Don’t spirits get disturbed by attempts to document them?”

The Universe smiled, and a ripple moved through the cosmos. “Investigators attune themselves to certain energies and frequencies that can be abundant in places like old buildings. When researchers approach those frequencies, it often activates energies of the past. Ghosts may respond, not only as if disturbed, but sometimes as awakened echoes from another time.”

The Little One nodded, though she felt she didn’t fully understand. Her mind was still full of questions. “What about time, Universe? What kind of time do ghosts live in? Wouldn’t time become boring if they linger here for centuries?”

The Universe looked at the Little One’s serious expression and answered the flood of questions with patient care. It loved these moments when the Little One was learning to understand the universe she inhabited. “Beyond the boundary, time is not like it is here, Little One. On other planes, time becomes space, and it can stretch or contract, and some souls don’t experience the passage of time at all. Spirits can be bound so tightly to a single moment that they don’t even register the centuries rolling by. To them, time doesn’t feel long, because their experience is different — tied to a specific feeling or event.”

The Little One began, a bit hesitant. “Then why do you, Universe, allow spirits to cling to their deaths, to waste time and hold on to something as sad as death itself?”

“Little One, death itself is not a sad event, though from the human world it often seems so. Death is part of the natural cycle — from birth to life, from life to death, and from death back to birth. But when a soul undergoes intense emotions or traumatic events, it can become attached to a moment. I don’t stop them; they choose their own paths. Everything has meaning, and every soul has its own time to understand and accept the true nature of death.”

“But you don’t help them out of that state either,” the Little One said, a hint of defiance in her voice. It didn’t feel loving to her.

The Universe answered without defensiveness. “Little One, you are perceptive. My task is not to interfere with the choices of souls. I don’t push anyone forward, nor do I pull them off their paths. I am present and provide the boundless space in which souls can make their own decisions, pass through their own lessons, and meet themselves. I do not judge, and I do not dictate how they should travel.”

The Little One felt a small tremor of sorrow in her chest. “So you let them remain there as long as they wish? Even if it feels terrible to us, and to them?”

The Universe replied calmly, its voice now bearing a deeper, age-old wisdom. “Exactly so, Little One. Free will is the foundation of everything. Every soul has its own time and its own will. Though it may appear sad or frustrating to those watching from outside, I let souls choose for themselves when they are ready to move on. I am with them all the while, waiting until they wish to be free.”

The Little One sat quietly with the Universe’s words. Deep inside, she felt their truth, yet they stirred new questions. “Doesn’t it make you feel bad, then, to watch them stuck and suffering?”

The Universe was silent for a moment before continuing, as if weighing whether the Little One could understand. “I do not experience time as you do. All is part of a greater cycle, and every soul finds freedom precisely when it is ready. Though you see their suffering in this moment, know that the soul is always learning — even when it appears to be stuck. Suffering, too, can be a lesson, however hard that is to accept. I abandon no one, but neither do I drag anyone from their path.”

The Universe went on gently. “Sooner or later, every soul finds its light and moves forward. Every soul is on a journey toward understanding, and sometimes the road is longer than you would wish. Remember that your love and your light can always help them. You can be a guide to them, as so many have been to you. I provide the space, but love is the force that ultimately helps souls find their way home.”

“All that wasted time, when a soul could move on at once,” the Little One muttered impatiently. Her logical mind saw centuries squandered.

The Universe gave a soft shiver of being. “Reincarnation is a great mystery, but for many souls it is frightening to leave this world behind, even if they know a new life awaits. They fear letting go, and their bonds to this world are often too strong — love, grief, or another emotional tie. They are not yet ready to move on.”

The Little One pondered this for a long time before asking her next question. “I’ve also heard the theory that those who decide not to have children are old souls. It’s easier to leave when you don’t leave loved ones behind. Some say this usually means they’re living their last life here.”

“The ‘old soul’ teaching appears in many belief systems. An old soul has passed through many lives, experiencing countless lessons and feelings. Such a soul may sense that its cycle here is nearing completion. Choosing not to have children can be a sign that they wish to disengage from this world without new bonds that would tie them again into another round,” the Universe replied, its voice full of timeless wisdom.

The Little One furrowed her brow. “But isn’t having children, continuing life, part of the cycle?”

“Yes, Little One. Continuing life through offspring has been an important part of humanity’s story. But an old soul may feel that its time in this world is coming to fullness. It doesn’t feel the need to leave heirs, because it wishes to move on without new ties. That is its way of preparing for the final journey.”

The Little One gazed at the stars and took a deep breath before asking her last question. “But if they’re already ready to go, why do they linger here for one more lifetime?”

The Universe pressed its night-face to the outer pane of the window and looked at the Little One. “A soul’s journey is intricate. Even if an old soul is ready to move on, one more life may be needed to absorb the last lessons. Perhaps this life without children is their way to learn non-attachment and letting go. Every soul has its own timing and its own way of preparing for the final voyage, and this phase, too, is an important part of it.”

The Little One fell silent, turning the Universe’s words over in her mind. A new understanding of ghosts, time, and the cycles of the soul began to glow within her. In the starlight, she felt the Universe’s wisdom flow around her like an invitation to step deeper into the realm of mysteries.

“Universe, one more tiny thing. How can I make sure that when I die — when I’m finally free — I don’t get stuck on those levels myself? How will I know I’m ready to move on?”

The Universe answered at once, its voice now full of gentle certainty, as if it had been preparing the Little One for this moment all along. “Little One, the key to a free passage is awareness and trust in what you feel within. When your time comes, the most important thing is to be conscious of what is happening. Death is not an abrupt severing but part of a natural transition. When you know this, you will also know when you are ready to continue.”

The Little One considered this, then asked for clarity. “But what if I don’t realize I’ve died? Or if I’m so afraid that I don’t dare move forward?”

“Fear can bind, Little One, but it is not stronger than love and trust. When you feel fear, remember that you are not alone. Death is the moment you enter a new state, and what awaits you is not emptiness or darkness, but the forces of light and love that have been with you all your life. Pause and listen to your heart. It will guide you onward even when fear tries to hold you back,” the Universe comforted her.

The Little One drew a deep breath, though her worry had not entirely faded. “How can I be sure I’m ready? Will there be a sign or a feeling that tells me it’s time to move on?”

“When you feel complete peace, when you sense there is nothing left to mend or regret, you will know you are ready. That peace is a deep inner understanding that you have done all this life has asked of you, and that a new journey, a new lesson, awaits. Peace is the sign that you are free to move forward.”

The Little One thought long on the Universe’s words. “And if I don’t feel that peace? If I still have unfinished feelings?”

The Universe replied softly. “Unfinishedness is part of life, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t ready to continue. What matters is accepting that not everything can be made perfect, nor must it be. Life is always a process, a journey of learning and growth. At the moment of death, the most important thing is to accept yourself and your life exactly as they have been. When you feel acceptance, it doesn’t matter if some things remain undone. It is enough that your soul knows it is ready to move on.”

The Little One now felt calmer than ever. She understood that death was not something to fear, but a natural transition. She knew that when the time was right, she would find her own peace and continue her journey free.

“Thank you, Universe,” she whispered, looking once more at the stars, which shone brighter than ever.

“I am always here for you, Little One,” the Universe replied, and the stars winked back like a playful smile.