Sparked by a Butterfly

I recently spotted this swallowtail on a hike. As I quickly drew my camera for the shot, because I am good at that, a voice came from behind me.

I hadn’t seen them approach. I heard their steps and then the question, spoken in English with a hint of an accent.

There’s something about hearing an accent, almost any accent, that sends my brain scrambling through its dusty attic, searching for the foreign words I know. Danke dir, Volkhochschule!

Before I even thought it through, I replied:

“Ja, sehen Sie dort? Ich habe ein Foto von diesem Schmetterling gemacht.”

We both paused for a second, a little surprised.

And just like that, the moment shifted into a familiar ease. What followed was one of those wonderfully unexpected, genuinely pleasant conversations about travel, life, and a shared connection to Baden-Württemberg. You all know who you are!

All of it… sparked by a butterfly. I love my global life.