Nessie: The Scottish legend that fueled my imagination

Joely Sue’s post yesterday reminded me that St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner — shut up, I’m doing good these days to remember what day of the week it is, let alone holidays. Her post also reminded me that I haven’t yet mailed back my AncestryDNA kit I recently bought on a whim. I know from my last name and genealogy studies I’ve done in the past that I have Scottish and Irish ancestry, but I know very little about my mom’s side of the family. Like most people, I’m a bit of a mutt, I suppose. But I proudly claim my Scottish and Irish roots, even though I’ve never been to either country. It’s on my bucket list to visit them both, and forgive me for veering off subject to make a personal admission here. My closest friends know this, so it’s not a secret. Well, not really. (Deep breath).

I believe in Nessie.

Yep, I wholeheartedly think the Lock Ness Monster exists. I refuse to believe otherwise, no matter how logical the evidence. And I admit there's some pretty damning evidence and proven hoaxes, but what about the rest? Huh? What about everything else that hasn't been disproven?!? Think on that.

It all started in the first grade. I have no idea why my class did this, but we went to the library and were broken into three groups. You could choose one of three subjects: Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or UFOs. I, of course, chose the Loch Ness Monster. I had no idea what it was, but oooh, sounded interesting. Our group was shown a short documentary and then read to from a book in the library about Nessie. I was absolutely fascinated, and left that library convinced that Nessie existed and that I would someday help prove it.

Flash forward 30-something years, and I am obviously a failure at monster-hunting or -proving. But my fascination with Nessie has always remained. Anytime I see a documentary about Loch Ness coming on TV, I’m there. I’ve read books, articles and viewed the Loch Ness Monster cam online. Did you know that Nessie even has her own coin? I do. And I want one. I’m hoping one of my friends in the UK will kindly send me one, but I’m not begging. OK, I’ll beg. Someone please send me this coin. Please, please, please!

Anyway. While most people are celebrating Leprechauns — which I do not believe in, by the way ... pfft, silly things — I’ll be sitting over here thinking about the Loch Ness Monster, dreaming of my future monster-hunting trip to Inverness, Scotland, and wondering if that first-grade venture to the library is what prompted my love for supernatural/paranormal mysteries.

Or maybe I'm just really, really crazy. I'll let you be the judge.

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Angela Campbell is the author of the psychic detectives series from Harper Impulse. Learn more about her and her books at www.AngelaCampbellOnline.com.