No matter how hard you work or how busy you become, it’s essential to maintain initiative in your life. When I lose control of my life to others, I feel as though I’m living a life of servitude. The most important way to preserve initiative in life is to consistently take action, even if it’s small, as part of my daily routine. Theologian Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr prayed: “Let me do my best in what I have to do, give me the courage to give up what I cannot do, and give me the wisdom to judge the two apart.” - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Rice has been the staple crop of the East, while wheat has been the staple of the West. Rice requires more water to produce than wheat. Rice farmers had to contend with the availability of water, which favored collective farming. Wheat could be grown with less labor than rice. Rice farmers lived collectively, while wheat farmers lived individually. Collective agriculture led to the development of societies that were governed by village rules. On the other hand, individual agriculture led to cultures that valued personal freedom and respect for individuality over communal rules. Patterns of agriculture have indisputably influenced social structure and culture. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”