THERE are a great many mysteries that flow underneath human civilisations like quiet groundwaters. These mysteries are omnipresent reminders that there are quite a few things in our history that we do not fully understand, and probably never will. Yet, we are glad for them and celebrate them as integral milestones of the development of our species. If the mysteries by themselves did not change human beings for the better, then our attempts to unravel them have surely widened our understanding of several topics.

For instance, we may never know who wrote the 600-year-old Voynich Manuscript, and what secrets they were trying to record. We may never get to understand how the Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed against all odds. Nevertheless, those who have studied these mysteries over the years have gained valuable knowledge that they can use to develop the world.
The existence of these mysteries also gives an interesting lens with which to view the decisions that we make in the present era. Will our architecture be regarded as marvellous, mysterious feats when examined a few centuries from now? Will our stories and songs be studied as a mythical code by hundreds of specialists? Will our decisions and ideas shape the way people live in the future, or will they be seen as unpleasant anachronisms that are better left in the past?

Today, a large portion of Generation Z is made up of adults. We have slowly shifted from being a generation of children to being a generation that is mostly made up of young adults. Even those members of the generation who are not yet adults have still become old enough to impact the world around them, or at least dream of the future. These facts mean that Generation Z is made up of people who are responsible for directing the affairs of the world and making decisions that can gradually change its course. We have begun to occupy positions of power, where our ideas and beliefs can have a lasting impact.

This also means that we are now responsible for making decisions that will continue to impact the generations that come long after we are gone. In the same way that we were the recipients of the consequences of choices made by several generations before us, our successors will experience the consequences of our choices and actions. They will enjoy the benefits of every right choice that we make, and they will suffer the burden of every poor choice we make. This is a responsibility that seems frightening, but in truth, is quite freeing in nature. We have taken up the wheel, and we are in full control of the direction in which we will proceed.

So, now that we have the world in our hands, how do we ensure that we do right by our successors?
The answer is quite simple. All we need to do is include them in the important decisions that we were previously excluded from making! Trying to make lasting decisions for future generations is almost as if we are building a home for strangers whom we know absolutely nothing about. We can always choose to build the home in a manner that we believe is best, but if we do this, we cannot guarantee that its future occupants will be happy or even comfortable. Instead, the easier route would simply be to involve them in the decisions we make about the house and provide them with guidance whenever it is necessary.

It is quite easy to leave behind mysteries for our future generations to examine and marvel at, much in the same way that our ancestors did for us. However, it is much more difficult to leave behind the fruits of good choices that were made to last for centuries. Perhaps the only way to lessen the load of this difficulty is to share it amongst several generations. In the past, the power to make decisions has been passed on from one generation to another like a torch. Could you imagine how different our world could be if, instead of passing on power, we allowed several generations to embrace the warmth of its glow at the same time?