I was having trouble falling asleep when I noticed a figure standing in the doorway to the bedroom.  I sat up in bed and quite plainly saw a short man with darkish skin and white hair and beard standing there, smiling at me in a bemused sort of way.  He wore brown pants and a red and brown shirt.  I was not frightened.  He said, "Honey, you can't keep closing his door, it gets too hot in that room."  I said, "Ok..."  He disappeared. 

I laid back down, and it wasn't until a few minutes had passed that it dawned on me how strange what had happened was.  It was as though I was numb, and when the numbness wore off I became a little shaken.  I ran out of my room, only to find my son's door open, as usual.  He was asleep, and fine.  I told my husband about it when he came home and he agreed that it was strange, as he knew of the naptime door-opening problems. 

We speculated that perhaps the kind man was the ghost of a previous tenant.  We guessed that his door was not opened at night because temperatures were cooler and less uncomfortable.  I was aware that the air circulation in the house made the back bedrooms a little stuffy in the afternoons - nothing dangerous by any means, just a little warm.  In all I was touched by the old man's concern. 

A few days later I was at over at my husband's aunt's house for dinner.  She had made a Family Cookbook for each woman in the family, including myself.  Their family was Lebanese, and they were quite proud of their family recipes.  Included in the homemade cookbook were pictures of the family throughout the years.  I accepted the cook graciously, although I did not use it until a few weeks later when I decided to try my hand at a traditional Lebanese dish.  As I turned through the pages I came upon a picture that stopped me cold - it was the man who had spoken to me in the bedroom.  There was no mistaking it.  I ran into the living room and asked my husband, "Who is this?!"  He explained that it was his grandfather.  I knew his grandfather (or Giddy, as he was called, which is Lebanese for "grandfather") had passed away about twelve years previous, but I had never seen a photo of him.

When I told him that the picture matched the man in the bedroom, he was very moved.  We bought a fan for his room, and after that the door remained closed during naps.  I still thank Giddy for checking in on his great-grandson! 

Postscript:  About six months after the incident my son, who could speak extremely well for his age, told me about a "man with brown pants" and a "lady with a Bible."  He said they floated around the apartment.  I am not sure who the lady with the Bible was, but I find it interesting that he knew the word "Bible."  My family is not religious and as far as I know, he had never seen a Bible or been told about one.  I asked if they spoke to him, and he said the "brown man" only smiled at him, but that the old woman told him he was a "good boy."  I imagine the "brown man" is his great grandfather; I do not know who the woman is.  He is three now, and has made no mention of them since.

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?          Yes

            Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:   He told me to stop closing my son's door at naptime, because it got too hot in his room.  He said it very plainly, standing about 8 feet from me.

            Did the voice or sound seem to originate externally or outside of you, inside you, or did you not hear a voice or sound, but had a sense of knowing what was communicated?  I actually do not recall if his lips moved or not.  But I do remember the sound of his voice - it sounded much like my husband's father - and it was as clear as if an actual person was standing there speaking.

            If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?           I never knew him so I do not know.

            Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           Absolutely not.

            Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?   No.

Did you see the deceased?         Yes

He looked exactly as he did about 5 years before he died, judging by the picture in the cookbook.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            Absolutely solid.

            How much of the deceased did you see?       All of him, head to toe.

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?       I am not sure, as I did not know him.

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            He seemed healthy.

            Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           No.

How long did the experience last?        About fifteen seconds.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         Both the end and the beginning were sudden.  He was suddenly there, and he disappeared as fast.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?           Yes

He seemed slightly amused for some reason, almost as though all of this door-opening should have been hint enough for me, and he found it funny that he actually had to show himself to get the point across!

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  I suppose I did not know that the room was uncomfortable for my son - he always napped well.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?           Experience was definitely real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:          I believe it was real because it was backed by the inexplicable physical manifestation of the door opening, and because this was witnessed by other people.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           As a certain numbness wore off, I wondered who the man was and began to realize the strangeness of what had happened.  As I was the only adult in the house I began to feel a little scared.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?           No

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Nothing bad, besides being a little shaken.  Wonderful to know that my son has someone looking out for him.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?            No

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes

I verified via the cookbook that it was indeed my son's great grandfather.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Once I was able to discuss it with my husband I felt wonder and appreciation.  When I found out who the man was, I felt happiness and a sense of warmth.

Have you shared this experience with others?        

Yes, They generally believed me.  My husband's family were touched by the story.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?   No

Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event?           Yes 

I have had several spiritual events along the lines of hearing ghosts, and many dreams wherein I have met and spoken with the dead or dying.

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?               Yes