---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And when you do find this letter, you…"
description: "\"“And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a reverse solar eclipse - the sun will start shi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg"
---

#  And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something…

![“And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a reverse solar eclipse - the sun will start shining down in the middle of the night, imagine that! - and when I see this sunlight it will be my signal to go running out into the streets, and I'll…” quote by Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg)

> ““And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a reverse solar eclipse - the sun will start shining down in the middle of the night, imagine that! - and when I see this sunlight it will be my signal to go running out into the streets, and I'll shout over and over, "Awake! Awake! The son of mine who once was lost has now been found!" I'll pound on every door in the city, and my cry will ring true: "Awake! Everyone listen, there has been a miracle - my son who once was dead is now alive. Rejoice! All of you! Rejoice! You must! My son is coming home!””

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A revelation of unexpected joy appears like sudden daylight in darkness, prompting celebration and proclamation of a lost loved one’s return.

**In simple terms:** Unexpected joy appears like daylight in darkness, prompting celebration.

Key Takeaway

Celebrate sudden positive changes.

Themes

joy celebration miracle reunion

Mood

exhilarated hopeful

Type

inspirational emotional

When to use this quote

- family reunion
- personal breakthrough
- community announcement

Key Concepts

hope transformation light

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you respond when unexpected good news arrives?
- What rituals help you share joy with others?

A Different Perspective

Such euphoria may overlook practical realities of the situation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Coming home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-home/) [Middle of the night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-of-the-night/) [Solar eclipse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar-eclipse/)

## Related quotes

> [“And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a reverse solar eclipse - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-know-what-something/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [Once I'm awake, I'm awake, which helps when you have to run in the mornings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-ryssdal/once-i-m-awake-i-m-awake-which-helps-when-you-have-to-run-in-the/)

[Kai Ryssdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-ryssdal/)

> [Bold words and bolder deeds are what we want. Awake, awake, great ones! The world is burning with misery. Can you sleep?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/bold-words-and-bolder-deeds-are-what-we-want-awake-awake-great-ones/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [The secret is to be awake. To be awake is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-meyrink/the-secret-is-to-be-awake-to-be-awake-is-everything/)

Gustave Meyrink

> [It is only in helping someone else to awake that I awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/it-is-only-in-helping-someone-else-to-awake-that-i-awake/)

[Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/)

> [“The king is up. You attend on the king, not on the clock. When the king is awake, you are awake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-king-is-up-you-attend-on-the-king-not-on-the-clock-when-the-king/)

[Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/)

> [Aubade THE lark now leaves his wat'ry nest, And climbing shakes his dewy wings. He takes this window for the East, And to implore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davenant/aubade-the-lark-now-leaves-his-wat-ry-nest-and-climbing-shakes-his/)

[William Davenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davenant/)

> [“The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so we have to play!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-nathan/the-sky-s-awake-so-i-m-awake-so-we-have-to-play/)

Sarah Nathan

> [“Before your awake, all you do is see When your awake, all you do is feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/before-your-awake-all-you-do-is-see-when-your-awake-all-you-do-is-feel/)

[Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/)

> [“Every day Zuigan used to call out to himself, "Master!" and then he answered himself, "Yes, Sir!" And he added, "Awake, Awake!" and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mumon/every-day-zuigan-used-to-call-out-to-himself-master-and-then-he/)

Mumon

> [“Solar Eclipse 2017, See it like an Earthling!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nanette-l-avery/solar-eclipse-2017-see-it-like-an-earthling/)

[Nanette L. Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nanette-l-avery/)

> [“Solar Eclipse Each morning I wake invisible. I make a needle from a porcupine quill, sew feet to legs, lift spine onto my thighs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-glancy/solar-eclipse-each-morning-i-wake-invisible-i-make-a-needle-from-a/)

[Diane Glancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-glancy/)

> [“He appears to be pointing at a massive water tower, all hinkered down overlooking the river. 'That's an old one.' This ancient, dark metal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/he-appears-to-be-pointing-at-a-massive-water-tower-all-hinkered-down/)

[Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/)

> [“For human beings, with our limited lives and limited means of travel, these vagaries of celestial alignment mean the majority of people on Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-nordgren/for-human-beings-with-our-limited-lives-and-limited-means-of-travel/)

Tyler Nordgren

> [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/)

[Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/)

## More by Douglas Coupland

> [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [The future and eternity are two entirely different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-future-and-eternity-are-two-entirely-different-things/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“But Dag, for all of his efforts, might as well have been talking to a cat. Our parents’ generation seems neither able nor interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/but-dag-for-all-of-his-efforts-might-as-well-have-been-talking-to-a/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [Negative? Moi? I think realistic might be a better word. You mean to tell me we can drive all the way here from L.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/negative-moi-i-think-realistic-might-be-a-better-word-you-mean-to/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [It was pivotal in making you but you don't remember it. Or do you? Do we understand the events that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/it-was-pivotal-in-making-you-but-you-don-t-remember-it-or-do-you-do/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [Your ability to rationalize your own bad deeds makes you believe that the whole world is as amoral as you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/your-ability-to-rationalize-your-own-bad-deeds-makes-you-believe-that/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“I like to go beach-combing, and I like to find interestingly shaped rocks. When I really get into the groove I start finding beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-like-to-go-beach-combing-and-i-like-to-find-interestingly-shaped/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“You know, Dag and Claire smile a lot, as do many people I know. But I always wondered if there is something either mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-know-dag-and-claire-smile-a-lot-as-do-many-people-i-know-but-i/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [Brain research tells us that only twenty percent of human beings have a sense of irony, which means that eighty percent of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/brain-research-tells-us-that-only-twenty-percent-of-human-beings-have/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [I keep vampire hours, going to bed at 2 A.M. and waking up at about 10:30-11 A.M.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-keep-vampire-hours-going-to-bed-at-2-a-m-and-waking-up-at-about-10/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“Anna-Louise leans over and whispers in my ear. "This is so surreal," she says, "I think I'm turning into a melting clock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/anna-louise-leans-over-and-whispers-in-my-ear-this-is-so-surreal-she/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [When you grow up these days, you're told you're going to have four or five different careers during your lifetime. But what they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/when-you-grow-up-these-days-you-re-told-you-re-going-to-have-four-or/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

[Explore all 704 Douglas Coupland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

## More Awake quotes

> [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/)

[Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/)

> [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/)

[Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/)

> [Hopes are dreams of those who are awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hopes-are-dreams-of-those-who-are-awake/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If your heart isn't yet illumined Be awake always, be a seeker of the heart, Be at war continually with your carnal soul. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/if-your-heart-isn-t-yet-illumined-be-awake-always-be-a-seeker-of-the/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [Wherever I went I felt like the last person awake in a room full of sleepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/wherever-i-went-i-felt-like-the-last-person-awake-in-a-room-full-of/)

[Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/)

> [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/)

[Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/)

> [As your awareness of the riches available to you in your everyday life grows, you are on the way to becoming the laughing Buddha.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/as-your-awareness-of-the-riches-available-to-you-in-your-everyday/)

[Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/)

> [“Think of it this way, Mara. We don’t have the power to make the sun rise, but we can choose to be awake when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-garlough-brown/think-of-it-this-way-mara-we-don-t-have-the-power-to-make-the-sun/)

[Sharon Garlough Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-garlough-brown/)

> [“The owl,” he was saying, “is one of the most curious creatures. A bird that stays awake when the rest of the world sleeps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-rose/the-owl-he-was-saying-is-one-of-the-most-curious-creatures-a-bird/)

[M.J. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-rose/)

> [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/)

[Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/)

> [Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? Shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell? Are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fool-s-paradise-shall-we-lull-them-into-soft/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

Browse all 1,663 Awake quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a reverse solar eclipse - the sun will start shining down in the middle of the night, imagine that! - and when I see this sunlight it will be my signal to go running out into the streets, and I'll shout over and over, \"Awake! Awake! The son of mine who once was lost has now been found!\" I'll pound on every door in the city, and my cry will ring true: \"Awake! Everyone listen, there has been a miracle - my son who once was dead is now alive. Rejoice! All of you! Rejoice! You must! My son is coming home!”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Douglas Coupland"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-know-what-something-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Awake"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-know-what-something-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/douglas-coupland-305_awake_and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-kno_2316136.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And when you do find this letter, you know what? Something extraordinary will happen. It will be like a…” — Douglas Coupland",
                "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": "Douglas Coupland",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“And when you do find this...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-know-what-something-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-when-you-do-find-this-letter-you-know-what-something-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
