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Serendipity can be defined as the act of making fortunate discoveries by accident.' It was not something I was expecting to occur on a day trip to Amsterdam. But then again, if I was expecting it, it would not be an accident and therefore not serendipity. Nevertheless, I encountered it on this day at the Amsterdam botanical gardens. While on a quest to find Rembrandt's home, I was thwarted by poor map reading and tram riding. After some time of wandering the city streets in a disoriented fashion, crumpled map in hand, I still had not reached my intended destination. I did find myself at the entrance to the aforementioned botanical gardens. I decided to spend 7 Euro on the entry fee and hoped for a positive return on the investment. So far, I was only breaking even on the day. I did have a sense that by coming to this natural setting, I would be able to feel a deeper connection with myself and the world around me. I was looking for a peaceful interlude among this bustling city to renew my energy and increase my sense of awareness during this day of discovery.

I'm no botanical expert, so my remarks should be taken in context. The gardens themselves were not of spectacular beauty nor populated with exotic specimens the world over based on my causal observations. The rather cold and damp April in Holland seems to have delayed the blooming of the renowned tulips and most other vegetation. Upon a quick scan of the visitor's brochure, my curiosity was drawn to a butterfly exhibit. After making the rounds of the rest of the gardens, I came upon this exhibit. There were 3 greenhouses in total that contained butterflies but only the center house was open on this day. A step through a standard door was followed by traversing beyond a heavily draped entrance way (much akin to the large swathes of cloth that hang down in a standard drive through car wash). Upon entering the other side, the environment was akin to a rain forest with an abundance of plants and humidity that hung just below the dew point. Before I could focus on the butterflies, let alone the person in front of me, I had to remove my glasses which were completely covered by condensation. My initial impression must have been like a baby first becoming aware of a mobile's dangling objects hanging over one's crib. I could see the brightly colored objects fluttering amongst hazy vegetation, other onlookers and the glass boundaries of the physical structure. In this pre vision' state, it felt like I was transformed

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