Dear Future Joel,

Dear self, I hope that this letter finds you well, and that you are able to be proud of the world we have left you. I hope you did as our “nagging” mother instructed and ate well, you know your health depended on it. I currently look into the future with both frightened and optimistic eyes. I fear what is to eventually befall you. I may not see into the future but I hope you have cherished those you love for as long as possible, regardless of what may have happened between you. We might not be willing to admit it at times but we do love her, and I know better than anyone that you don’t always show it. I have so many questions I want to ask you. How is the dodgeball career going? How about those student loans? How did everything end with Ramen and Lizbeth? But as you’re reading this I’m sure you’ve realized what this is. I wonder if you remember this weekend. I’ll try my best to not forget so you can look back and laugh at it. I hope you remember me writing this letter so you can never forget how you felt leading up until this very moment. Although, I am quite curious how everything in our life unfolded. There’s something that I truly am curious about, and that is, your future.

I’m terrified at the thought of what you might have to go through due to climate change. What has Puerto Rico suffered after Hurricane Maria? Is Mama safe? When was the last time you had fresh water? Have the Coqui gone extinct? I just want to apologize on behalf of all of humanity. It is our fault that there is a chance that your great grandchildren may have no future. However, write to you still hopeful. The year is 2018, and I believe that fixing this problem will the start of a great domino effect. I will try to the best of my ability to be the piece that finishes the puzzle or in the very least be the one that sets everything in motion. I know that we will find wonderful solutions to many of our problems. I just hope that your great grandchildren are alive to witness this amazing feat, and that our time does not run out beforehand. I will do more than just hope. In fact, I promise that from this day on that I will try my best to bring about a future that we and those we love can efficiently live in.