--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One sort of optional thing you might do…" description: "\"“One sort of optional thing you might do is to realize there are six seasons instead of four. The poetry of four seasons is all wrong for this part of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/kurt-vonnegut-41_autumn_one-sort-of-optional-thing-you-might-do_96369.jpg" --- # One sort of optional thing you might do is to realize… ![“One sort of optional thing you might do is to realize there are six seasons instead of four. The poetry of four seasons is all wrong for this part of the planet, and this may explain why we are so depressed so much of the time. I mean, Spring doesn’t feel like Spring a lot of the time, and…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/kurt-vonnegut-41_autumn_one-sort-of-optional-thing-you-might-do_96369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/kurt-vonnegut-41_autumn_one-sort-of-optional-thing-you-might-do_96369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/kurt-vonnegut-41_autumn_one-sort-of-optional-thing-you-might-do_96369.jpg) > ““One sort of optional thing you might do is to realize there are six seasons instead of four. The poetry of four seasons is all wrong for this part of the planet, and this may explain why we are so depressed so much of the time. I mean, Spring doesn’t feel like Spring a lot of the time, and November is all wrong for Fall and so on. Here is the truth about the seasons: Spring is May and June! What could be springier than May and June? Summer is July and August. Really hot, right? Autumn is September and October. See the pumpkins? Smell those burning leaves. Next comes the season called “Locking.” That is when Nature shuts everything down. November and December aren’t Winter. They’re Locking. Next comes Winter, January and February. Boy! Are they ever cold! What comes next? Not Spring. Unlocking comes next. What else could April be?”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reimagining seasons as six distinct periods reflects how cultural expectations shape our emotional climate, suggesting a need to align perception with local reality. **In simple terms:** Six seasons better match local climate and mood. Key Takeaway Cultural calendars affect emotional well‑being. Themes culture environment psychology climatology Mood playful observational Type humorous observational When to use this quote - planning community events - mental health counseling - educational curricula Key Concepts perception regional adaptation Practical Applications - design local calendars that reflect actual weather patterns - use seasonal metaphors in therapy Questions to Reflect On - How does redefining seasons influence collective mood? - Can flexible calendars improve adaptation to climate change? A Different Perspective Over‑categorizing can complicate simple seasonal rhythms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autumn/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Four seasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four-seasons/) [Seasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seasons/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winter/) ## Related quotes > [When one talks about six coaches in four seasons something's wrong, something bad's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/when-one-talks-about-six-coaches-in-four-seasons-something-s-wrong/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [4 seasons: You are the spring when I blossom with a tender kiss You are the summer when my heart burns as I miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abeer-shennawy/4-seasons-you-are-the-spring-when-i-blossom-with-a-tender-kiss-you/) Abeer Shennawy > [People are in your life for a reason, others are there for a season and it's important to realize when those seasons are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-gibson/people-are-in-your-life-for-a-reason-others-are-there-for-a-season/) [Tyrese Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-gibson/) > [“Four seasons fill the measure of the year; There are four seasons in the mind of Man: He has his lusty Spring, when fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/four-seasons-fill-the-measure-of-the-year-there-are-four-seasons-in/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [... the spring, the summer, The chilling autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries; and the mazed world By their increase, now knows not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-spring-the-summer-the-chilling-autumn-angry-winter-change-their/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I was thinking of the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and when I was thinking "Uptown Girl!" I was trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-was-thinking-of-the-four-seasons-frankie-valli-and-the-four-seasons/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“Gardening is easier and quicker when spacings are correct for different plants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dowding/gardening-is-easier-and-quicker-when-spacings-are-correct-for/) [Charles Dowding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dowding/) > [Set in the remote and harsh high desert landscape of Idaho, Outpost is an artist live/work studio and sculpture garden for making and displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kundig/set-in-the-remote-and-harsh-high-desert-landscape-of-idaho-outpost-is/) Tom Kundig > [Famous people come up to me, but I don't know who they are because my sight is so bad. It's always at the pool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/famous-people-come-up-to-me-but-i-don-t-know-who-they-are-because-my/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [When we were trying to get 'Jersey Boys' off the ground, I'd get, 'The Four Seasons? Who's going to care? There's the Beatles, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-valli/when-we-were-trying-to-get-jersey-boys-off-the-ground-i-d-get-the/) [Frankie Valli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-valli/) > [I love you for all the right reasons, I am not any summer love, I promise to stay: All four seasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-for-all-the-right-reasons-i-am-not-any-summer-love-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Four Seasons was making me popular in Britain, but EMI America had no interest in making that happen in the States, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-kennedy/the-four-seasons-was-making-me-popular-in-britain-but-emi-america-had/) [Nigel Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-kennedy/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Health, peace of mind, peak performance, and success in any area of life all depend upon doing the right thing at the right time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hanson/health-peace-of-mind-peak-performance-and-success-in-any-area-of-life/) [Tobe Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hanson/) > [I think that in itself is kind of an amazing achievement to be able to say that your full-time career is in any creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paquin/i-think-that-in-itself-is-kind-of-an-amazing-achievement-to-be-able/) [Anna Paquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paquin/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Autumn quotes > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [The American spring is by no means so agreeable as the American autumn; both move with faltering step, and slow; but this lingering pace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-trollope/the-american-spring-is-by-no-means-so-agreeable-as-the-american/) [Frances Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-trollope/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“FALL I've never liked orange not even a hint of yellow though that doesn't mean I'm derange, you know. but it's still a riddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kynna-claire/fall-i-ve-never-liked-orange-not-even-a-hint-of-yellow-though-that/) Kynna Claire > [The trees change their voices in autumn as well as their shapes. No longer do they whisper to one another in muffled tones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-strong/the-trees-change-their-voices-in-autumn-as-well-as-their-shapes-no/) [Patience Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-strong/) > [The measured blood beats out the year's delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/the-measured-blood-beats-out-the-year-s-delay/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-crickets-felt-it-was-their-duty-to-warn-everybody-that-summertime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-found-himself-wondering-at-times-especially-in-the-autumn-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Easter blessings All life’s sacrifices like autumn leaves awaken our senses and power to love and be whole Our Mother Earth, Our Father Sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/easter-blessings-all-life-s-sacrifices-like-autumn-leaves-awaken-our/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [The lush green of the fields became a rich gold that swayed sturdily under the wind and fell at last before the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/the-lush-green-of-the-fields-became-a-rich-gold-that-swayed-sturdily/) [Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/) > [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) > [“Autumn eats its leaf out of my hand: we are friends. From the nuts we shell time and we teach it to walk: then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/autumn-eats-its-leaf-out-of-my-hand-we-are-friends-from-the-nuts-we/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [We must learn to do economic work from all who know how, no matter who they are. We must esteem them as teachers, learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/we-must-learn-to-do-economic-work-from-all-who-know-how-no-matter-who/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) [Browse all 1,210 Autumn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autumn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One sort of optional thing you might do is to realize there are six seasons instead of four. The poetry of four seasons is all wrong for this part of the planet, and this may explain why we are so depressed so much of the time. I mean, Spring doesn’t feel like Spring a lot of the time, and November is all wrong for Fall and so on. Here is the truth about the seasons: Spring is May and June! What could be springier than May and June? Summer is July and August. Really hot, right? Autumn is September and October. See the pumpkins? Smell those burning leaves. 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