Butterfly effect [noun]: a situation in which an action or change that does not seem important has a very large effect.

My butterfly effect started with a simple question from my dad. "What do you want to watch?” It was May 15, 2018, and a new show called “Safe” had just premiered on Netflix. It was written by Harlan Coben and starred Michael C. Hall. It looked intriguing, so I thought I’d give it a go. I was hooked from the start and quickly became a fan of Hall’s. While catching up on his work I’d missed throughout the years, I came across an interview where he mentioned he was in a band called Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum. At the time of the article, they’d only done one or two shows.

I dug through social media and found clips from their concerts, and I was blown away. Their music was nostalgic and fresh at the same time. It scratched an itch deep in my brain while simultaneously being the breath of fresh air I craved from the music world. I was desperate for more and spread the word about their shows on my Twitter page and told everyone I knew. I was fascinated by their origin story and loved seeing the fruits of their friendship and love of music.

I wanted to see them in concert, but that would require something life-changing on my part. They’re a New York-based band and I’ve never traveled alone, gone outside of Colorado or been on a plane before. This would require all three. I was inspired by a close friend of mine who made the trek to NYC from Minnesota by himself, and I watched in awe and a little spark flickered in my brain. I was an adult, and I could do this thing, too.

At the beginning of the pandemic, many of us took to social media to keep in touch. A few of the people I talked to in the Princess Goes fan group created a group chat. There are eight of us, and we bonded over Princess Goes and the members’ various works and talents. We all became close friends pretty quickly and kept each other sane while staying at home, vowing to meet in real life once the storm blew over and the pandemic got better.

On Halloween weekend of 2021, I decided to take my first-ever trip. I remember how excited I was being on the plane. Everything couldn’t have been more perfect. I listened to Dominic Fike’s version of “Kiss of Venus” on repeat as the clouds parted and I saw New York down below. I soon met a couple of my close friends from the chat, and we gave each other big hugs. We ate the best pho I’ve had in my life and got caught in the rain, ducking into an ice cream shop and getting dessert.

The next day, we met up with a few others from the group chat and they showed me around NYC, stopping at some notable places, eating N.Y. pizza and making memories I’d cherish forever. We then waited in line for a while, met the band as they arrived and went inside.

To say my mind was blown is an understatement. There I was, surrounded by friends, standing in the front row to see my favorite band for the first time. Everything had led up to this moment. They opened with their unreleased song, “Offering.” Matt Katz-Bohen started playing the first few heavy synth notes on his keytar, followed by Peter Yanowitz thumping on the drums, followed by Michael C. Hall singing “It’s all for you…” I just about fainted from all the awesomeness. It all felt like a dream come true and the closest thing to magic I can think of. I wasn’t watching through a TV screen. This was real life, and it was all happening. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that happy or alive.

Since then, I’ve seen the band five more times and continued to be enraptured by their music and metamorphosis. All of these wonderful times came from small decisions that grew into something life changing. What’s a notable butterfly effect you’ve had in your life? Let us know in the comments!