Too many experiences, many with others to say, "no" to this.
Most all religions extend stories and beliefs on Spirits or our souls.
We come to the eternal questions of life and afterward.
The levels of debate on Reincarnation, Resurrection of Flesh, eternal souls, has always been in our human history.

I've studied the evolution of these, and reached no answers, nor had I ever believed I would.

I hypothesize answers to all my experiences, and I find myself chasing my own tail. But I lean towards your view.

Im not good at story telling, but Ill share a couple experiences.
My first, was at the age of 2. I smashed the glass on the aquarium my father set up with a cooking pot.
I remember it well. Boy was my ass punished. I shared that there was an older boy that made me do it.
Grabbed my hand to do it. Of course my parents insisted I was lying, no one was there, but I cant shake that image.
So Logic says, I was 2, I made it up.

My grandparents house was special. A corner lot with an old Victorian House, full wrap around porch, 4 levels, in Far Rockaway, NY.
It was built for a State Govt official, around the 1900s. Nothing bad happened there that we know of.
The Basement had 2 levels, cold storage, and coal chute. The Main floor had around 1000 sq ft Plus, but was built with sliding doors, cubby holes, that had other doors inside, and fireplaces, with mantles, that had hidden compartments....(I guess the reason I like Puzzle Boxes).
Upstairs, on the grand staircase, were more rooms, closets, and doors inside the back of the closets. One opened into a windowed room, that had no exit/door. You could only get in there through the hidden door in the closet. We think it was either a "safe" room, or for Alcohol, during Prohibition,
These were the main living quarters, another staircase, small and hidden led to the servant quarters, another level and above ..around 6000 -8000 sq ft.

I visited often as a child, with nothing special.

Then, at 18, I stayed there for 2 weeks, during this time. I was waking up almost every night, to strange sounds...thats normal, but not the apparition that appeared in my room. More like a misty Fog, in a large shape, that was lit, and came into view.
Yes, it talked to me. One message, over and over...."Know me".
What the F*ck would you do?

My Aunt told me the house was haunted by my Grandfather, and Another, they called "Oliver". 2 or the same....???

I was pretty hysterical, and we moved out, my father finding another friend to stay with, as he saw my shaking and fear.

Well, Oliver followed me, I had instances of being in bed, asleep, with someone, to awake to bright balls of light, and the same voice coming at me.
My guest, was shocked, that I sat up in bed trembling. I said, "Dont you see that bright ball of light?". She didnt. She did see me with raised welts appearing instantly, all over my body. The Ball engulfed me, and left me with the belief, it was to know my grandfather, Oscar.

When I shared this story with others, the answers were to "Know" my grandfather, the ghost, as it would seem.
Religious leaders gave me divine answers.

I have had many episodes with this, other examples where family "Saw" some of the things I did, Rain, Light, coincidences, Deja Vu....No answers.
( I should mention Oscar was religious, a deep family History, and was very focused on Kabbalah, and as best as I can tell, spirits, etc, as were others in the 20s and 1920s...People would visit him and his crystal ball)

It ended only about 8 years ago, in another story. But that "ending" had a profound effect.
The Ghost came, and went. That single episode, is a bizarre tale, if youre me, and what I was "left" with, I have found many others
left with the same impression. Another story.

Ghosts, Spirits, My imagination? Sure, Im fine with all explanations, because I dont have one that fits any mold.
.......

On Aliens, Time Travel etc. I dont know either. I know my family who has govt clearance, believes in "UFOs" because of what they have read.
One, retired Chief of Staff from the Pentagon, and a storied career, The other 40 years, and a Nobel Nominee for the Govt in Plasma Physics.
But this week old John Titor popped up, and my brother shared JJ Abrams wants to make a movie on the story,
We will see, but me as a person, I am the evil force in this story and movie...The Villain, if you will.
Lets see if the Movie gets made.

It Fascinates me that for the most part, Humanity has limited our explanations of "after death".
We get Heaven and Hell, Nothingness, or a state that allows to come back as ourselves, another person, or another living creation.
The oldest concepts suggest what we are, Ka, Ba, Ra, soul, etc, travels to the heavens. or a place of judgement.
We never came up with, all "souls" go to Mars, to the specific Center of the Earth, or even different dimensional existence.

Another other ideas? Even from Sci Fi?

Harry Houdini and his Medium Exploits, and the Time period of "Seance Frenzy" shows a social group movement.
is everything else really like that? Ghosts, UFOs, etc?

Ask asked before, Why not Dog Ghosts?

Found a Pic of the Old house...Still Stands! Although memory has it Looming....I know when I was last there, it hadnt been painted in 20 plus years...

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Some are tough, because they arent really ghosts, but "phenomena".
How do we explain Deja Vu? Or thinking of a song, and then it plays on the radio.
Or a friend you havent heard from, you think about, and there is an email or phone call?

This crap happens to me all the time, my whole life. I dont think this makes me special, I believe a great many of us experience things like this.

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So what is typed above, I wrote Last week, and left it.

I had a visitor 3 days ago, for the first time in 12 years.

The manifestation isnt anything more than an "impression". I dont think there would be anything for anyone to see or hear.
It appears to me is a message, and then a flood of imagery.
When its done, its overwhelming. Then in about 10-15 minutes, it fades 90+ percent.

I immediately grabbed my phone to call a friend, and I jotted down some notes.

When it last happened 12 years ago, we discovered his wife, and my "impressions" were matching in many many areas and images.

A Completely WTF moment.

This was easier, but when I relayed two important impressions on things we relate about, he freaked out, as I was sharing
top secret, not discussed anywhere, designs he was working on. How did I have such vivid pictures of something never discussed or seen?

The experience relates back to the house, and the first time I was presented this way.
Its been 42 years, and its happened 6 or 7 times.....Go figure. I cant.