--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have lived for a long time inside a…" description: "\"I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a novel.\" — Alexander Chee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png" --- # I have lived for a long time inside a series of… ![“I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a novel.” quote by Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png) > “I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a novel.” [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life can feel like a series of improbable coincidences, making ordinary experience seem novel and extraordinary. **In simple terms:** Life often feels like strange coincidences. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and wonder. Themes creativity storytelling perception Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - personal growth - artistic inspiration Key Concepts coincidence novelty Questions to Reflect On - Do you see patterns where none exist? - How can you balance wonder with realism? A Different Perspective May romanticize randomness over agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coincidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence/) [Coincidences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidences/) [Coincidences People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidences-people-1238269/) [Implausible Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/implausible-novel-4808225/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Implausible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-implausible-3836191/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Series Coincidences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series-coincidences-2219815/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Some people say you should pay attention to coincidence. It can show you your path. Besides, these coincidences are enough to keep people believing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wunder/some-people-say-you-should-pay-attention-to-coincidence-it-can-show/) [Wendy Wunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wunder/) > [I kind of drifted into acting through a series of coincidences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-kind-of-drifted-into-acting-through-a-series-of-coincidences/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [“How else do you think life happen? A series of coincidences and occurrences have to happen somehow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/how-else-do-you-think-life-happen-a-series-of-coincidences-and/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [“There is boring. There is sensational. There is mediocre. There is lazy. There is good. There is evil. People do implausible things all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/there-is-boring-there-is-sensational-there-is-mediocre-there-is-lazy/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [“There are no coincidences in life. What person that wandered in and out of your life was there for some purpose, even if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/there-are-no-coincidences-in-life-what-person-that-wandered-in-and/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [“To believe in coincidences, to believe in fate— it ties into the spiritual realm, to the idea that there is something universal out there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mildon/to-believe-in-coincidences-to-believe-in-fate-it-ties-into-the/) [Emma Mildon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mildon/) > [“Pure coincidence, of course, but a sensible man makes coincidences work for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/pure-coincidence-of-course-but-a-sensible-man-makes-coincidences-work/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“They say numbers are just ordinary figures. It is, but not so when it gets to the point where they begin to synchronize and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/they-say-numbers-are-just-ordinary-figures-it-is-but-not-so-when-it/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Everything in this life has a purpose, there are no mistakes, no coincidences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/everything-in-this-life-has-a-purpose-there-are-no-mistakes-no/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [A scientist ought to have a healthy disregard for coincidences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-leiber/a-scientist-ought-to-have-a-healthy-disregard-for-coincidences/) [Fritz Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-leiber/) > [“There are no coincidences in God's providence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-woodsmall/there-are-no-coincidences-in-god-s-providence/) [Cindy Woodsmall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-woodsmall/) > [“Premonitions are coincidences waiting to happen,” he said, without looking up. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/premonitions-are-coincidences-waiting-to-happen-he-said-without/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [It’s amazing how many coincidences occur when one begins to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hybels/it-s-amazing-how-many-coincidences-occur-when-one-begins-to-pray/) [Bill Hybels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hybels/) > [When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-live-your-life-with-an-appreciation-of-coincidences-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Coincidence is the exception, not the rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soheir-khashoggi/coincidence-is-the-exception-not-the-rule/) [Soheir Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soheir-khashoggi/) ## More by Alexander Chee > [Writers aren't born, they're made - from practice, reading, and a lot of caffeine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/writers-aren-t-born-they-re-made-from-practice-reading-and-a-lot-of/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [I had a naiveté that I would remember the things that I had written already, but I was getting lost in the forest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-had-a-naivet-that-i-would-remember-the-things-that-i-had-written/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“None of the young women who wanted her position knew what her position was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/none-of-the-young-women-who-wanted-her-position-knew-what-her/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“Sappho isn't really meant to be read. It's meant to be sung and there were dances for the songs, also. Sappho was a performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/sappho-isn-t-really-meant-to-be-read-it-s-meant-to-be-sung-and-there/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“Nothing to fear from a fate that was already yours, then, except, perhaps, that it would never leave you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/nothing-to-fear-from-a-fate-that-was-already-yours-then-except/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [As I get ready to buy a new computer, I'm stunned at all the many micro drafts, of different chapters and scenes and whatnot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/as-i-get-ready-to-buy-a-new-computer-i-m-stunned-at-all-the-many/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [Everyone would tell me they couldn't identify with sexual abuse. No one says they can't identify with the tales of the Greek gods and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/everyone-would-tell-me-they-couldn-t-identify-with-sexual-abuse-no/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“When I was a boy and I sang, my voice felt to me like a leak sprung from a small and secret star hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/when-i-was-a-boy-and-i-sang-my-voice-felt-to-me-like-a-leak-sprung/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“You ought to know, you were my best friend. You were. I know you loved me. I loved you. No one should have gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/you-ought-to-know-you-were-my-best-friend-you-were-i-know-you-loved/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [Each source that I read, I would look through the bibliography and the footnotes, and use that as a map for the next thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/each-source-that-i-read-i-would-look-through-the-bibliography-and-the/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“Writers aren't born, they're made--from practice, reading, and a lot of caffeine. And sometimes tutelage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/writers-aren-t-born-they-re-made-from-practice-reading-and-a-lot-of-2/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [One of my big inspirations was Céleste Mogador. She was a courtesan who wrote her memoirs in order to pay off her debts, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/one-of-my-big-inspirations-was-c-leste-mogador-she-was-a-courtesan/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [Throughout my reading life, I've enjoyed many memorable meals-if only fictionally. The oysters at dinner near the beginning of Anna Karenina, the dinner Nana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/throughout-my-reading-life-i-ve-enjoyed-many-memorable-meals-if-only/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [I knew it was a risk but what I was after was a novel that is about the feeling that comes with a coincidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-knew-it-was-a-risk-but-what-i-was-after-was-a-novel-that-is-about/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [“The storm is a glazier. Then fog passes through, touches the cold trees to add to the ice already there. Here the wind spins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/the-storm-is-a-glazier-then-fog-passes-through-touches-the-cold-trees/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) [Explore all 41 Alexander Chee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) ## More Coincidence quotes > [“Symbols are miracles we have recorded into language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/symbols-are-miracles-we-have-recorded-into-language/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [“Coincidence is the exception, not the rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soheir-khashoggi/coincidence-is-the-exception-not-the-rule/) [Soheir Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soheir-khashoggi/) > [Is it a coincidence that stories from the private life became more popular just as the grand hope for public redemption through revolution was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/is-it-a-coincidence-that-stories-from-the-private-life-became-more/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [It was an odd coincidence that my career took off the same decade as having babies. I often wished it had been different, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-kaczmarek/it-was-an-odd-coincidence-that-my-career-took-off-the-same-decade-as/) [Jane Kaczmarek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-kaczmarek/) > [“Every emotion in the world wishes to be expressed, every task desires to be done. Coincidence is the perfect texture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-geary/every-emotion-in-the-world-wishes-to-be-expressed-every-task-desires/) [Patricia Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-geary/) > [It's not coincidence that these attacks come at the exact same moment, and all together at the same time as WikiLeaks releases documents exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-not-coincidence-that-these-attacks-come-at-the-exact-same-moment/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“You wonder if that really constitutes being ‘a coincidence’ but don’t press her on the issue, instead sticking your hand down your pocket to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-kerkhoven/you-wonder-if-that-really-constitutes-being-a-coincidence-but-don-t/) [Rudolf Kerkhoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-kerkhoven/) > [A thrumming of piano-strings beyond the gardens and through the elms. At length the melody steals into my being. I know not when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-thrumming-of-piano-strings-beyond-the-gardens-and-through-the-elms/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“We cannot see how our lives will unfold. What is destiny and What is accident? And how can one ever be certain?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-ostlere/we-cannot-see-how-our-lives-will-unfold-what-is-destiny-and-what-is/) [Cathy Ostlere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-ostlere/) > [When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-live-your-life-with-an-appreciation-of-coincidences-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s amazing how many coincidences occur when one begins to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hybels/it-s-amazing-how-many-coincidences-occur-when-one-begins-to-pray/) [Bill Hybels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hybels/) > [“Premonitions are coincidences waiting to happen,” he said, without looking up. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/premonitions-are-coincidences-waiting-to-happen-he-said-without/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [“A friend of mine once said that she didn't believe in coincidence, that it was God working in her life, not a coincidence every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-cameron/a-friend-of-mine-once-said-that-she-didn-t-believe-in-coincidence/) [Barbara Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-cameron/) > [Some people suggested that I should try something else. It was a lot of things, but nothing really stood out for me. Nothing felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-kim/some-people-suggested-that-i-should-try-something-else-it-was-a-lot/) [Claudia Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-kim/) [Browse all 823 Coincidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a novel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Chee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-series-of-coincidences-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coincidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-series-of-coincidences-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/alexander-chee-16129_coincidence_i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-se_3008055.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a…” — Alexander Chee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Chee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have lived for a long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-series-of-coincidences-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/i-have-lived-for-a-long-time-inside-a-series-of-coincidences-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```