--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's begin with an easy agreement…" description: "\"“Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your father and I were negotiating for a small area of land on our borders, near Libeth. The Car..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg" --- # Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your… ![“Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your father and I were negotiating for a small area of land on our borders, near Libeth. The Carthyan land has a spring that my farmers need for their crops. Carthya has other spings nearby, so you won't miss it." "My father wouldn't have…” quote by Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg) > ““Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your father and I were negotiating for a small area of land on our borders, near Libeth. The Carthyan land has a spring that my farmers need for their crops. Carthya has other spings nearby, so you won't miss it." "My father wouldn't have missed it, but I would," I said, with no actual idea of what spring he meant. "It happens to be my favourite water source in all of Carthya, and I won't part with it.”” [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A negotiation over vital water resources reveals personal attachment and strategic importance of natural assets. **In simple terms:** Water is a strategic, personal resource. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of essential resources. Themes conflict resources family Mood tension thoughtful Type political environmental When to use this quote - border disputes - agricultural planning - family inheritance - resource management Key Concepts strategic negotiation environmental economics Questions to Reflect On - What drives personal attachment to resources? - How can negotiators balance emotion and logic? A Different Perspective Emotional bias may cloud pragmatic decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“A platform without the Holy Spirit is like land without a spring. If we gain our Promise Land without Living Water, it will become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-hope-wagner/a-platform-without-the-holy-spirit-is-like-land-without-a-spring-if/) [Alisa Hope Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-hope-wagner/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by Jennifer A. Nielsen > [“Get me a real chair”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/get-me-a-real-chair/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“Kneel, please," Connor said. "I wish to study you better." Come as close to me as you'd like," I answered. "Study me here, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/kneel-please-connor-said-i-wish-to-study-you-better-come-as-close-to/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“I need a sword first," I said. "People here keep taking mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/i-need-a-sword-first-i-said-people-here-keep-taking-mine/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“No offense, Jaron, but I don't want your life. Even locked away behind closed doors I got a taste for how awful it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/no-offense-jaron-but-i-don-t-want-your-life-even-locked-away-behind/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“Truly, it is in the darkness that one finds the light”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/truly-it-is-in-the-darkness-that-one-finds-the-light/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“I thought you were from a civilized country," he said. "How have you come to look more like Carthya's whipping boy than its king?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/i-thought-you-were-from-a-civilized-country-he-said-how-have-you-come/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“Above all else, I think that you are a compulsive liar." My laughter was tense, but sincere. "Hardly. In fact, I consider myself a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/above-all-else-i-think-that-you-are-a-compulsive-liar-my-laughter-was/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“This is for you." i pressed the stone in Kerwyn's hand. Kerwyn turned it over in his hands, unimpressed. "imatator's gold? It's worthless." "No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/this-is-for-you-i-pressed-the-stone-in-kerwyn-s-hand-kerwyn-turned-it/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“As part of the grand joke that had become my life, the gods had given me a master with the wit of a withered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/as-part-of-the-grand-joke-that-had-become-my-life-the-gods-had-given/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“...a strong heart will always overcome a strong body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/a-strong-heart-will-always-overcome-a-strong-body/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“How is it that you can see your enemies so clearly and never your friends?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/how-is-it-that-you-can-see-your-enemies-so-clearly-and-never-your/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“It would take entire lifetimes for the men of Carthya to deserve their women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/it-would-take-entire-lifetimes-for-the-men-of-carthya-to-deserve/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“If I was going to fight this beast — regardless of how poor my chances were — I needed the use of both hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/if-i-was-going-to-fight-this-beast-regardless-of-how-poor-my-chances/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“I replied with an Avenian accent. "Is the priest of this church still here?" "No." He squinted at me. "Never seen you before. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/i-replied-with-an-avenian-accent-is-the-priest-of-this-church-still/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“One of the greatest kings?” My smile widened. “That’s it? Why not the greatest?” “This will only make your arrogance worse, I’m sure.” “Really?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/one-of-the-greatest-kings-my-smile-widened-that-s-it-why-not-the/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) [Explore all 91 Jennifer A. Nielsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your father and I were negotiating for a small area of land on our borders, near Libeth. The Carthyan land has a spring that my farmers need for their crops. Carthya has other spings nearby, so you won't miss it.\" \"My father wouldn't have missed it, but I would,\" I said, with no actual idea of what spring he meant. \"It happens to be my favourite water source in all of Carthya, and I won't part with it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jennifer A. Nielsen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-before-his-death-your-father-and-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-before-his-death-your-father-and-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/jennifer-a-nielsen-7308_death_let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-befor_759852.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let's begin with an easy agreement. Before his death, your father and I were negotiating for a small area of…” — Jennifer A. Nielsen", "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": "Jennifer A. Nielsen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Let's begin with an easy agreement....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-before-his-death-your-father-and-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/let-s-begin-with-an-easy-agreement-before-his-death-your-father-and-i/#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 } } ] } ```