Investing isn’t for the impatient.

While a few people may get lucky and make a fortune on what are ostensibly financial gambles, most world-class financial investors focus on the value of an investment over time.

That goes for important community investments as well as financial ones. Among the most important of those investments is our community’s investment in the education of our children.

Our children are our most important assets, as they represent our future. It’s cliché to say but only because it’s true.

Investing in education is a broad topic. Among the most important, most elemental, is early childhood education.

Quite simply, that’s where it all begins. It’s where the educational rubber hits the road.

If we can instill a love of learning in those young minds, they’ll be set on a path that will help them through life.

Today, the Mississippi Economic Council — long an advocate of the idea that Mississippi’s economic future is directly tied to our state’s education investments — will bring its “Next Steps Tour” to Natchez.

The focus of the tour is on boosting early childhood education in our state. The goal is to improve the education level of our workforce over time.

The program begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Natchez Convention Center.

The program is free of charge; however MEC asks that you register at www.mec.ms.

Now that’s an investment that will eventually reap great rewards for all Mississippians — for generations to come.