encounter
A Quarterly E-zine

Life is a series of encounters. We meet people; we spend a while with them, and then sometimes move on. Other times we linger and our initial encounter develops into a lasting relationship - a friendship, a love affair, or lifelong companionship. Along our pathways we encounter guides and mentors, as well as men and women of distinction, who inspire us by their example. However it’s the ordinary folks who are part of our daily lives that provide us with the most significant—and least recognized—encounters of all.

We encounter experiences. Moments of epiphany; of love, joy, laughter and celebration. And bereavement or loss. Some of these encounters take us to new heights of understanding, others are less easy to deal with.

Across the landscape of our lives, we also encounter many different horizons. Some stretch across broad plains where warm breezes blow gently over waving grasses; others are edged by mountains that we yearn to climb. There are vistas that stretch seemingly to infinity, beyond the curl and crash of waves along a seashore. Our daily horizons are splashed with brilliant sunrises, vivid sunsets, or sprinkled with distant stars. Sometimes our personal world is grey, filled with sullen clouds, tempestuous rain and raging winds—an encounter with the grandest dame of all—Mother Nature.

None of these encounters are static. They change with our moods, our age, our travels, our surroundings. We have moments of glory and moments of doubt. We look back and remember. We anticipate tomorrow’s challenges. And we live within today’s fleeting ambit of time—sometimes encountering small moments of delight, doubly precious because they are so transient.

There are ways in which we seek to preserve those evanescent encounters. We capture them within the lens of a camera, or express them in watercolours, pencil, charcoal and oils. Sometimes we freeze them in clay, wood or marble—or within stained glass windows.

Or we use words and enduring stories as a thumb-print against the face of time.

“encounter” is a quarterly e-zine, where we meet each other; a place to stop for a while and browse through biographical sketches, memoir, light humour, short fiction, opinions, articles, book reviews and celebrations of our past and present achievements. Share your world with us, in words or photographs; tell us about your ideas and experiences, your travels, unusual characters who once filled your horizon—and perhaps still do—memorable times in India, or wherever you live today.

Enter

Photo: Sun and moon encounter at the North Pole (source: unknown)