--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And then there will be the times when I…" description: "\"“And then there will be the times when I see you laughing. Like the time you’ll be playing with the neighbor’s puppy, poking your hands through the cha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/ted-chiang-11432_children_and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i_307076.jpg" --- # And then there will be the times when I see you laughing… ![“And then there will be the times when I see you laughing. Like the time you’ll be playing with the neighbor’s puppy, poking your hands through the chain-link fence separating our back yards, and you’ll be laughing so hard you’ll start hiccupping. The puppy will run inside the neighbor’s house, and…” quote by Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/ted-chiang-11432_children_and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i_307076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/ted-chiang-11432_children_and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i_307076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/ted-chiang-11432_children_and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i_307076.jpg) > ““And then there will be the times when I see you laughing. Like the time you’ll be playing with the neighbor’s puppy, poking your hands through the chain-link fence separating our back yards, and you’ll be laughing so hard you’ll start hiccupping. The puppy will run inside the neighbor’s house, and your laughter will gradually subside, letting you catch your breath. Then the puppy will come back to the fence to lick your fingers again, and you’ll shriek and start laughing again. It will be the most wonderful sound I could ever imagine, a sound that makes me feel like a fountain, or a wellspring.”” [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid memory of simple joy, where laughter and a playful puppy create a feeling of abundant, flowing happiness. **In simple terms:** Laughter with a puppy feels like a fountain of joy. Key Takeaway Cherish moments that bring spontaneous, pure happiness. Themes joy nostalgia simple pleasures connection mindfulness Mood warm content playful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - family gatherings - playful pet interactions - quiet afternoons - stress relief - mindful observation Key Concepts emotional resonance sensory detail transcendence Questions to Reflect On - When did you last feel pure, unguarded laughter? - How can you invite more simple joys into daily life? A Different Perspective The intensity of joy may fade, and not all moments are as vivid or repeatable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The house of laughter makes a house of woe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/the-house-of-laughter-makes-a-house-of-woe/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [It's hard when you're not a native speaker, because everyone's laughing, and you're like, 'What was that? Can you tell me again?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-kekilli/it-s-hard-when-you-re-not-a-native-speaker-because-everyone-s/) [Sibel Kekilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-kekilli/) > [“Sorry." he said, rubbing his temples. "Do you have any Tylenol?" "Nope, sorry. Your doctor's appointment is today right?" "Yeah." "Here take this." Jenna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/sorry-he-said-rubbing-his-temples-do-you-have-any-tylenol-nope-sorry/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [I'm still laughing like hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinedown/i-m-still-laughing-like-hell/) [Shinedown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinedown/) > [“We sat there in our flower crowns until the world went dark, until we were half-sick from sugar but still laughing, laughing, laughing like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lord/we-sat-there-in-our-flower-crowns-until-the-world-went-dark-until-we/) [Emery Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lord/) > [“Larry is slowly, softly almost laughing, like not quite trying to throw up, and Mayn finds history right there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mcelroy/larry-is-slowly-softly-almost-laughing-like-not-quite-trying-to-throw/) [Joseph McElroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mcelroy/) > [Cuz you throw your head back laughing like a little kid:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-dela-cerna/cuz-you-throw-your-head-back-laughing-like-a-little-kid/) JUSTINE DELA CERNA > [“What a goon, except it really is funny, me trying to sneeze a hot dog through my nose, and we're both laughing like total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodman-philbrick/what-a-goon-except-it-really-is-funny-me-trying-to-sneeze-a-hot-dog/) [Rodman Philbrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodman-philbrick/) > [I don't want to be with someone boring because I'm always laughing. I like to play jokes on people and be sarcastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-benson/i-don-t-want-to-be-with-someone-boring-because-i-m-always-laughing-i/) [Ashley Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-benson/) > [It's funny - there's nothing that stops you laughing like the sight of other people laughing about something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-frayn/it-s-funny-there-s-nothing-that-stops-you-laughing-like-the-sight-of/) [Michael Frayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-frayn/) > [There are these showcase clubs where 14 guys will go on in a row and people are laughing at everything, and I'm like -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/there-are-these-showcase-clubs-where-14-guys-will-go-on-in-a-row-and/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Sometimes laughs oddly when frighten and I been hanging with my females friends more often lately... I'm noticing I'm laughing like that when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/sometimes-laughs-oddly-when-frighten-and-i-been-hanging-with-my/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [For the moment, he's off plotting his Igoresque revenge. I don't know about you, but I have this image of him rubbing his hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/for-the-moment-he-s-off-plotting-his-igoresque-revenge-i-don-t-know/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When I'm at home creating music, I usually wind up laughing. It's always, like, funny - like, what the hell did I just write?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thundercat/when-i-m-at-home-creating-music-i-usually-wind-up-laughing-it-s/) [Thundercat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thundercat/) > [People think our music's very aggressive or angry or whatever, and it's just the opposite, really... I like laughing. And I like being really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/people-think-our-music-s-very-aggressive-or-angry-or-whatever-and-it/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) ## More by Ted Chiang > [“The physical universe was a language with a perfectly ambiguous grammar. Every physical event was an utterance that could be parsed in two entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/the-physical-universe-was-a-language-with-a-perfectly-ambiguous/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [Women who work with animals hear this all the time: that their love for animals must arise out of a sublimated child-rearing urge. Ana's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/women-who-work-with-animals-hear-this-all-the-time-that-their-love/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/contemplate-the-marvel-that-is-existence-and-rejoice-that-you-are/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [“Perhaps men were not meant to live in such a place. 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By this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/yet-through-their-endeavor-men-would-glimpse-the-unimaginable/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [Brain damage is never a good idea, no matter what your friends say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/brain-damage-is-never-a-good-idea-no-matter-what-your-friends-say/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [“I would have liked to experience more of the heptapods' worldview, to feel the way they feel. Then, perhaps I could immerse myself fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/i-would-have-liked-to-experience-more-of-the-heptapods-worldview-to/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [“Branches are generated by any quantum event, right? 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The mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/a-child-born-of-this-method-would-have-no-biological-father-true-but/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) [Explore all 58 Ted Chiang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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