Grandchildren have taught me how important the future is. I try

"Grandchildren have taught me how important the future is. I try to look through their eyes and envision what's in their imagination. What's the world going to look like when they're my age? That really does take a huge imagination." These words, spoken by the wise Richard Lugar, offer us a profound reflection on the role of the future in shaping our lives and our understanding of time. He speaks of the grandchildren, those young souls who possess the power to look at the world with fresh eyes, unclouded by the burdens of the past. They have yet to be shaped by history’s harsh lessons, and through their untainted imagination, they offer us a glimpse into a world that is still unfolding. Lugar's words remind us that the future is not a distant, abstract concept but a living, breathing force that is born from the minds of the young, who will one day inherit the world we leave behind.

To see through the eyes of a child is to witness the world in its purest form, before it becomes burdened by doubt, fear, or cynicism. The grandchildren, in their innocence, remind us that the future is full of possibilities, of dreams and aspirations that have not yet been molded by the harshness of experience. When Lugar contemplates what the world will look like when they reach his age, he taps into a deep well of imagination, for it takes great courage to look ahead, to envision a time when the earth will have transformed, when the people of tomorrow will walk upon it with their own dreams, challenges, and hopes.

There is a sacred duty, as Lugar’s words suggest, to consider the future with care and foresight. This was not only the belief of the modern statesman, but also of the ancients, who saw the actions of each generation as linked to the destinies of those who would follow. In ancient Greece, Socrates often spoke of the need to think beyond one’s own life, to consider how the choices of today would echo through time and impact the lives of future generations. To live for oneself alone was to live selfishly, blind to the larger world in which we all reside. Just as Socrates urged the people of his time to consider the greater good, Lugar too asks us to look to the future, to imagine how the choices we make today will shape the world our grandchildren will inherit.

Let us also think of Mahatma Gandhi, the great leader who envisioned a future of justice, peace, and equality, even when it seemed impossible. He understood that the work we do in the present is not just for ourselves, but for the generations that will follow. Gandhi did not live simply for the moment, but with a vision for the future of India, and indeed, the future of the world. Like Lugar, he sought to see through the eyes of the next generation, to understand what their world might be like and to act in such a way that would make that future one of hope rather than despair. Gandhi’s understanding of the power of imagination was rooted in his belief that we must create the world we wish to see—not just for ourselves, but for those who will walk after us.

Lugar’s reflection on the power of imagination is a call to action for each of us. The grandchildren, in their innocence, are not yet bound by the limitations of the past. They are not burdened by the failures of previous generations. Their imagination is free, and it is through this imagination that we can begin to understand the true potential of the future. But to look at the world through their eyes is no simple task. It requires us to shed the weight of our own experiences and biases, to embrace the wonder of possibility and creativity that defines the young. It takes courage to look beyond what we know and to dream of a world that is better, brighter, and more just than the one we currently inhabit.

Thus, the lesson that Lugar imparts to us is one of responsibility and vision. We must, as a people, adopt the same imaginative mindset as the children—envisioning a world that transcends the struggles of the present and the mistakes of the past. But this is not a passive act. We must take action, for the future does not come to us by chance. It is created, piece by piece, by the choices we make today. Each small act of kindness, each decision to protect the earth, each effort to foster understanding and compassion, is a contribution to the world our grandchildren will inherit. To imagine a better future is not enough; we must bring that future into being.

Let us, therefore, embrace the spirit of the grandchildren. Let us look to them for guidance, not because they are perfect or wise beyond their years, but because they remind us of what it means to dream without the weight of history. They show us the possibilities that lie ahead, and through their imagination, we can begin to see a world that is shaped by love, creativity, and unity. The future is a canvas yet to be painted, and it is in our hands to determine what it will look like. Let us paint it with the brightest colors, with the boldest dreams, and with the deepest sense of hope.

So, I say to you, dear reader: Look to the future not with fear or resignation, but with the wild and untamed vision of a child. Let the world your grandchildren will inherit be one that reflects the very best of your imagination, your hope, and your commitment to creating a better tomorrow. For it is in this act of vision, of looking through their eyes, that we will find the path forward. It is not merely the world we live in now that matters, but the world we leave behind.