27/03/2026
Have you ever suddenly thought about someone, and then unexpectedly encountered them soon afterwards?
For example, you might find yourself thinking about an old school friend you haven’t seen in ten years, only to bump into them in the street an hour later. Or perhaps you dream about a former colleague you haven’t thought about for years, and then unexpectedly see them the very next day.
I am currently researching this intriguing phenomenon, which may represent a form of premonition — the anticipation of an apparently chance encounter. Although this phenomenon has rarely been discussed, I have received more than 300 stories about it over the years.
Whilst this can happen with people the experiencer knows well, in many cases people report thinking about individuals they rarely see, have not thought about for a very long time, or even complete strangers, shortly before unexpectedly meeting them. In some cases, people have even anticipated encounters with non-human subjects, such as a particular vehicle with a specific registration number.
It is the unexpected nature of these meetings, coupled with the spontaneity of the thought, that makes them so striking. These features distinguish such cases from simply encountering someone you were already expecting to meet, or someone you see frequently in a routine place.
I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has had experiences like this. If so, it would be helpful if you could include details such as:
• The form the premonition took (e.g. a spontaneous thought, dream, feeling, mistakenly identifying someone else for the person you subsequently encounter, etc.)
• Who you unexpectedly encountered (friend, acquaintance, colleague, stranger, etc.) and when you last saw them
• How long after the premonition the encounter occurred
• Where the encounter took place and whether the location was unexpected
• Whether this kind of experience has happened to you more than once
• Whether you have had other experiences that might be described as telepathic or precognitive
If you would like to share your story, please email it to [email protected]. Please also indicate whether you give permission for your account to be quoted in future publications, and whether you would prefer to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym.
As many details as possible are very helpful.
