Once upon a time, in a community right down the road, lived a number of people who lived life as one.

They enjoyed the same hobbies — hunting, fishing and more — as they walked the same streets. They had the same gripes, groans and moans, even though deep down the people knew they were blessed.

It’s the beginnings of an undeveloped tale about not just any old community, but yours. It is difficult to imagine, but in just a short 20 years they will be telling tales of our lives today.

Yet-to-be-born teens and young adults will look upon our current lives with a “once upon a time” attitude.

The rest of us will probably — even despite current rough economic times — one day refer to this time as “the good old days.”

But we can take action today to tell future generations about life now, and we can do so in our own words.

If you wrote a letter today intended to be read by future generations, what would it say?

Would you focus on the positive in the community around you or dwell on the negative?

What lessons should be written down today, so that those who come after us can learn from our own experiences?

If my questions sound a bit like a high school writing exercise, well, I guess they are in a way.

And I’d like for you to do your homework.

As part of our upcoming Profile 2011 edition, I hope to collect letters from the community written to future generations.

The style of your letter is up to you, and no way is correct or incorrect

We simply want to capture a slice of life today and record it for those who’ll come later.

Talk about whatever you’d like to talk about. Tell about yourself, your way of life, your family. Talk about the current state of the community, your neighborhood and the country. Offer advice. Send warnings.

Tell future generations about your community.

Simply record your thoughts on paper, keeping in mind that the intended reader may not yet be born.

When you finish, send me a copy of your letter.

We’ll cull through the submissions, printing several in Profile 2011: Community of One.

We hope to print a variety of letters in the edition, which will publish in late February, but become a permanent part of Miss-Lou history that future generations can enjoy.

I’d love to receive letters from children and adults. And if any high school English teachers want to make my assignment real, we’d love to receive a batch of letters from your class.

I’ll even start you off:

“Life in my community today is …”

Go!

The deadline for submissions is Nov. 30.

Letters can be e-mailed to newsroom@natchezdemocrat.com; mailed to The Natchez Democrat, P.O. Box 1447, Natchez, MS, 39120 or dropped by our office at 503 N. Canal St.

Please include your name, current address, contact information and age (or approximate age if you’ve had one too many birthdays and aren’t comfortable revealing the truth).

We feel that writing to the future may reveal a true slice of the present in this community we all share, fairy tale or not.

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.