"From the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us"

This quote by Napoleon Bonaparte is a pointer of the long and rich history of the world. It speaks with the idea that the past is constantly looking down on us, which we should put in the time to assess the accomplishments of those who came prior to us. The pyramids are a symbol of the fantastic civilizations of the past, and the reality that they have meant forty centuries is a testament to the strength and durability of those civilizations. The quote is a suggestion that we must aim to construct something that will last, something that will be remembered for centuries to come. It is also a pointer that we need to make the effort to value the achievements of those who came prior to us, and to learn from their successes and failures. By doing so, we can make sure that our own accomplishments will be kept in mind for centuries to come.