I often let my mind drift, and chase thoughts down rabbit holes just to see where they go. It’s an amazing exercise as a writer, it encourages being solely wrapped up in the story and helps the writer completely disregard his surroundings and fully envelope himself in story.
This time, however I was chasing a thought that turned into much more than a thought which changed my life forever. I had been thinking about time travel. I had thought about this before of course, but today I had thought beyond the mere surface level of “that would be cool.” I had thought if there ever was a time that I would come back, it would be this day, say a half hour from now. 
I continued down this rabbit hole of thought, and wondered about the times when I was a child and had thought the same thing. How I had said to myself “ok if time travel is real I’ll appear right now.” Of course this never happened and now thinking about it, it is understandable as to why my future self would not have come back to visit my childhood. What would I have said to myself first of all, how could I pinpoint a time where I would be receptive to future me, and would I even be able to comprehend what it all meant?
If there ever was a time it would be today at 6:00, because I’ve built a memory around this time and I would continue to impress this time upon myself so that it stuck out in my mind and withstood the degradation of thought through time and it was at his moment when I heard it.
There was a deafening thunderous crack, which made my heart jump and almost cease. “What the hell could that be?” I had thought. When I walked outside I half expected the whole neighborhood to be outside gawking but there was no one. I also realized my wife Isabella had not reacted to the sound. This was all strange to me. What was even stranger was the sight of an old man lying on my drive way.
The rush of thought that I had before about time travel and the ‘what if’s’ came flying back to me. Could this be me, I mean could this be my future self. Since then I of course have concluded that it was in fact me and that idea had been well established since. I ran to his side, knelt down and peered into his face. His eyes were a soft blue just like mine, but the rest of his body was beaten down by time. His skin was soft and wrinkled and his hair bright white. I had lived a long time, but why was I in such disarray.
He looked up at me and our eyes met, or my eyes met my eyes it was a bit hard to understand then, and a bit harder to write about, but all the same we were both filled with emotion. He lay there taking slow raspy breathes and managed to slip out a few last words. “I made it I found you, I found us. Don’t let her die.” At this I didn’t quite understand but my guess was Isabella, who else would he mean, who else could it be? I called for her, as she’s a nurse and clearly he/I needed help.
She came rushing out quickly, and saw nothing. He whimpered “she can’t see me, I can barely see her.” He reached out his hand, which held a paper, tight between his fingers and I took it. His eyes slowly closed and as they did he began to fade out of existence, and then, he was gone.
Isabella came rushing to my side, with a look of confusion and tears in my eyes, I waved her off. I didn’t know how I would explain away myself dying in my arms. However I did have proof and it was in my hands. I felt though, that maybe I shouldn’t let her see the contents of the letter, that maybe she would think I was crazy.
We went back inside and I told her I had tripped on the driveway and yelped for her in the process. As dumb as that was, she bought that and I went to my office to read the note in private. This worked usually, because as a writer. Sometimes I had a train of thought that would flee if not written down, and as my wife she was used to a sudden “I need to write something down, I’ll be back in a moment.” 
I closed my office door as I do when I write, however instead of writing or creating, I was reading. The letter went as follows:

Paul,

I understand that on this day November 20th, 2016 at 6:00pm I requested my presence. As you know I came to a realization that day that this would be the moment to return to as I was to expect my own arrival. You live a life of longevity, however you lose Isabella. It’s as easy as this, on the night of December 22nd 2041 you and Isabella will leave for Colorado to visit your son and his beautiful new wife to celebrate Christmas. Do not go. 
In order to keep things from happening, or to keep things happening depending on how you look at it, this is the only thing I will tell you to change. However I think I need to specify what I did, what you will do. You, give up your life just as I did on the ground in front Perrywinkle drive. I loved that house, this whole time travel thing is very new. For those of us who know about it, we understand that no one comes back when they go. We have theorized it is because we are leaving existence in the present, and entering a place that cannot account for us. We never fully come into existence, and therefore cease to exist. Always remember, I did this for her.

     That was the letter I received November 20th, 2016 at 6:00pm. I’m writing this now, as the present will repeat itself. I’m here now because of Isabella’s death. Leave the house for the weekend, on February 9th 2057 the house will be gone when you get back. Always remember, I did this for her.