Dear Future Wife:
I know it’s been a while. For that, I apologize. Life, work, and the world in general has been chaotic lately. I’m sure that hasn’t been lost on you. I won’t use that as an excuse. I just hope you understand because I’ve been meaning to write this for a while now, but I’m working under a better-late-than-never mentality.
First and most importantly, I hope everything is going well with you. I hope your family is still happy and healthy. I also hope you’re taking care of yourself. I’m trying to do my part. I still go to the gym every day. I’ve tried to tweak my diet and sleep here and there. I won’t say I’m the picture of health, but I continue to make the effort. Everything worth doing starts with effort.
Whether that effort pays off is beyond our control. Perhaps that’s why our paths haven’t crossed yet. You have your own life and you’re doing your best to manage it in this crazy world. That seems to be getting harder with each passing day. But that has never stopped you. I trust you’ll find a way, as you always do.
Along the way, I hope you’ve found time to enjoy yourself. After the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s important. Quarantine and isolation have left some lasting scars. Just getting out regularly still doesn’t feel like it once did. Maybe that has more to do with us getting older than the pandemic. Either way, it doesn’t matter.
What did you think of the latest Superman movie?
What did you think of the Fantastic Four?
What did you think of King of Hill, X-Men 97, or the latest season of Reacher?
Who do you think is going to win the Super Bowl this year?
One day, I look forward to discussing, arguing, and gushing over every detail. Finding time for that sort of thing isn’t easy. But for you, I’ll make time. That’s what you do for someone you love.
I still hold out hope that such a day will come. With each passing year, that hope dwindles somewhat. It hasn’t completely disappeared. I’m determined to never let that happen, even if I’m on my death bed. But I freely admit there have been times when I wish I’d met you.
In recent years, loved ones I deeply cherished have passed away. I’ve also become an uncle to multiple nieces and nephews. I know it’s not the same as being a parent, but I’ve really come to cherish my role as an awesome uncle. I think you would love it just as much, being an aunt to these kids. They’re so damn energetic, but so much fun to be around.
On top of these big moments, I’ve also found myself missing the little moments. I still live alone. I still sleep alone. On certain nights, I wish I could roll over and see you laying by my side. On certain mornings, I wish I could wake up and meet you in the kitchen for some morning coffee. From there, we could just enjoy each other’s company or make mundane conversation.
But more than anything else, I wish you were here so we could better support each other. Every time a news headline pops up, I feel myself getting upset. I feel my limited faith in humanity faltering just a little bit more. I’m at a point where I don’t see the human species as being able to survive in the long run. I question whether we even deserve to survive.
I don’t want to fall too deep into that kind of despair. It’s just a lot easier when you’re alone and you don’t have someone to love to remind you of what’s good in the world. I suspect you’re handling it better than me. I don’t doubt for a second that my future wife has that kind of strength. One day, I hope it inspires me to be stronger.
But therein lies my greatest fear. I genuinely worry that you and I will never meet. Even if you’re out there, not yet aware of me or the love we’re destined to share, our paths may not cross at any point. We’re so overwhelmed and locked into our current lives. We just don’t have the time or energy to actively seek the love we desire.
I don’t want that to be the case. I hope that’s not the case. Maybe we’ll meet the day after I share this letter. Even if it happens years from then, I’ll be fine with that. Good things are worth waiting for, especially love.
But if that day never comes and I eventually die alone, having never met you, I feel that will be a major loss for both of us. That may end up being beyond our control. I still don’t want that. I still want us to meet. I want our families to meet. I just know my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews would be thrilled.
I don’t know when, where, or how that will happen. Maybe we’ll meet online. Maybe we’ll meet at a comic book convention, a football game, a grocery store, or just randomly on the street. I honestly don’t care about the circumstances. I just want our paths to cross eventually.
In the meantime, remain strong and hopeful. Keep being tough, sincere, and loving. I’ll keep doing my part, as well.
Until the day comes when we finally meet, I wish you nothing but joy and happiness.
Love Always,
Jack Fisher
Jack Fisher's Official Publishing Blog 