Why are the majority of 'ghostly encounters' short?

Hi All.
What I am about to relate is true, I know I have no way of proving it but it's true none the less. I pride myself on my honesty.
When I was 10 I had just gone to bed, it was a summer night, and around 9:30 PM (It was still light).
I was alone, and lay tossing & turning for a bit trying to go to sleep because it was that hot. Suddenly the sheet was pulled from the bottom of bed, at first I thought it was my elder brother that was messing about.
I sat up to give him a telling off, the sight which greeted me was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen to this day. It was a young girl dressed in a white full length dress with the most beautiful shoulder length blonde hair, and the most startling blue/violet eyes I have ever seen standing at the bottom of my bed.
She was smiling, and beckoned me to go with her with her right hand, I just sat there, and she beckoned again. I shook my head in the negative, and she lowered her head, turned around to the left, and proceeded to glide through a solid brick wall.

After the apparition I slumped back into my pillow, and slept the most dreamless sleep I have ever slept to this day. This apparition lasted a good 2 to 3 minutes.
I have always been sensitive to spirits, and sometimes I feel them, hear them, and on rare occasions see them.

The next day I told my Dad about this apparition, and he just looked at me, his face went white, and he started to shake imperceptibly, and said "I have seen her, you had best forget about it Tony", and he was silent after that.

I agree that most encounters are relatively short. This makes me think about something. Do you know how "ghost stories" that are fake have always tended to be over the top and scary, while in reality the vast majority of encounters are very bland in comparison...Even looking back at documents written from the middle ages until now, these fleeting glimpses and short encounters have persisted for centuries, almost never being over the top and sensational, although they are still scary in my opinion, lol.

This adds credibility to paranormal activity imo. I have had a few experiences myself, one being visual, and I know I am not crazy. Another was validated through another person, who I did not even know, who was there with me. So I am positive ghosts exist, whatever they are.

I would agree with the poster who mentioned energy. These entities obviously are some form of energy, just like we are, and if it takes more energy to appear to a person, then this could explain the short sightings. But then again, I think the ability to see them comes down to the person sometimes. I would bet people who see ghosts all the time, apart from just their house being haunted or something, see them for longer periods of time.

Everything requires your attention to exist, which is why many ghostly encounters begin with a knocking. When you knock on someone's door, you are trying to get their attention. When spirits knock, they too want your attention to be able to manifest.

If ghostly encounters are short, it's because most people can't focus on anything for any significant amount of time.

I've experienced something in my house for over 13 years. The most I've seen were shadows or strange dark wispy specks. I have felt some gentle touching sensations several times which increases the perception it is a friendly ghost. Last night I kept hearing little noises in an empty room. If it's a girl I used to know, maybe she moved in with me. Most of the time, I don't notice anything. I'd be in trouble if a girl materialized in my house and she never left me alone. Might be fun though.

One girl I shared some information with believes me after I asked whatever is in my house to kick out their annoying ghost. She told me all paranormal activity in their place suddenly stopped. In fact months later she told me still nothing was going on after nonstop things getting moved around for I don't know how long.

I prefer not to think too much that a ghost could be attached to me. She or it I believe stays home when I go out. I first noticed something in my previous residence. About a week after I moved, so did something else.

I did save more money on my air conditioning this past summer than in years past so I was wondering if I did something different. I thought it was hotter outside than normal this past summer so that made me wonder if my house felt cool because of some other reason besides the air conditioner. I'm not complaining.

Originally posted by orionthehunter
I've experienced something in my house for over 13 years. The most I've seen were shadows or strange dark wispy specks. I have felt some gentle touching sensations several times which increases the perception it is a friendly ghost. Last night I kept hearing little noises in an empty room. If it's a girl I used to know, maybe she moved in with me. Most of the time, I don't notice anything. I'd be in trouble if a girl materialized in my house and she never left me alone. Might be fun though.

One girl I shared some information with believes me after I asked whatever is in my house to kick out their annoying ghost. She told me all paranormal activity in their place suddenly stopped. In fact months later she told me still nothing was going on after nonstop things getting moved around for I don't know how long.

I prefer not to think too much that a ghost could be attached to me. She or it I believe stays home when I go out. I first noticed something in my previous residence. About a week after I moved, so did something else.

I did save more money on my air conditioning this past summer than in years past so I was wondering if I did something different. I thought it was hotter outside than normal this past summer so that made me wonder if my house felt cool because of some other reason besides the air conditioner. I'm not complaining.

Hi Orion some ghosts or spirits can attach themselves to you, the one i wrote about attached herself to me, and has been with me for my entire life. I have managed to ascertain she was a Milkmaid in the 16 century, and was killed by a runaway horse, and cart. She doesn't always appear to me but she comes to me in dreams, and warns me of life threatening scenarios, and major life changing events. Just recently she appeared to me in a Dream, and warned me that i would have trouble with my heart. I went to the doctor yesterday, and sure enough the doctor said i had an heart murmur, and referred me to the Hospital.