Completed on October 15, 1993, the Luxor Casino and Hotel a thirty-story replica of the Egyptian pyramid of Khafre at Giza. Khafre's Pyramid, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, gives its patrons a taste of ancient Egypt. Luxor is 30 stories tall, the biggest pyramid ever raised in the Western Hemisphere, with a Sphinx outside and 2,526 deluxe rooms inside. Nine Boeing 747s could be stacked in its atrium, said to be the world's largest at 29 million cubic feet. The inside is lavishly decorated with many reproductions of Egyptian artifacts and paintings giving the hotel a sense of antiquity. The outside of the Luxor is just as magnificent as its outside. Encased in bronze reflective glass, the 2,526 rooms, slanted at a 49-degree angle, overlook the center atrium of the pyramid. Just adjacent to the pyramid is a 76 full size replica of the Great Sphinx Luxor's "Beam of Light," the most powerful in the world, shines straight from the top of the pyramid. Its 40-billion candlepower makes it visible at cruising altitude from Los Angeles, about 250 miles away, on a clear night. At ten miles into space, you could read a newspaper by its light.

The latest word from the Roadside America website is that it is all being torn out and replaced with newer, better mysteries. Why would anyone think of tearing down such a beautiful and awesome reproduction of a long-gone civilization and long-dead creed?

The answer is simple. Whereas, the Giza pyramids were the monument to the gods, Luxor Casino is nothing more than a container for human desire based on illusion. The desire, in this case, is the lust for money and the illusion, in this case, is instant wealth through the chance spin of a roulette wheel or the shake of a dice. Whereas the pyramids have been here for 5000 years or longer and will be here 5000 years from now, the Luxor Casino will probably not survive this century.

Take some time to look at your writing and think about the enduring value of your writing. What are you building: a Giza Pyramid or a Luxor Casino? What will people remember about your life a 100, 1000 or 5000 years from now? What type of future do you want for the world and what are you doing now to create that future? Let the future guide your writing today.

Janet K. Ilacqua is a freelance writer based in Tracy, California. She specializes in academic writing and ghostwriting of books and manuals for individuals and small businesses. For more information about her services, check her website at http://www.writeupondemand.com.

jilacqua@aol.com