Encounter is a word that conjures up mystery. Encounter is not just a meeting, but something more fleeting. An encounter suggests movement, as if both parties are on their way to somewhere else and they briefly come in contact. One can imagine an encounter in a stairwell, where two people pass and glance at one another, a glance with more connection than avoidance. A chance encounter brings up an even more compelling picture. Two people, off somewhere they expect to be alone, who find themselves in a chance encounter. The implication is that this meeting carries some significance. Something beyond a mere hello or how do you do; something in the realm of importance.
An encounter can be happy – those two people who may end up in each other’s arms – or it might be dangerous or at the very least, unhappy. Soldiers encountering the enemy brings to mind guns blazing and people lying dead with red blood on the ground. An encounter with your accountant suggest there were angry words involved with threats of an IRS audit. An encounter with your mother-in-law might be fine if you’re on good terms or might be unpleasant if you happen to not like her. Whatever the case, the word encounter is not a neutral word, but rather one that is highly charged.
Then, of course, there were the encounter groups of the 1970’s, where people came together in order to bare their souls (and sometimes their bodies) to encounter their personal demons in a group setting. These encounters often brought with them personal encounters among the group members. Not much of a surprise since encounter suggests that mystery mentioned at the beginning.
So give me an encounter versus a casual meeting any day. Encounter promises something more intriguing than a casual hello.
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