I grieve. My favorite author, Robert Jordan, author of the bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series, passed away yesterday on September 16, 2007 2:45 PM, US time from complications from primary amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (cardiac amyloidosis). He was diagnosed with the illness sometime in March last year. Since then he has fought the disease bravely. As bravely as he fought in Vietnam with the U.S. Army, earning Decorations such as the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with "V", two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry, back in his pre-writing carreer. (Yes, I'm that much of a fan to know this tidbit). He now rests in peace, a hero, in every sense. It takes courage to face battle, and in his passing, us millions of fans, all over the world, will remember him for it.

Robert Jordan has touched so many lives. He taught me to dream, imagine and much more through his work. Each character he made has a life of its own that has touched my life in so many ways. His books are my treasure. Its richness of detail and imagination has been my inspiration for so many of my own poems.

To his family and loved ones, my deepest respects and prayers though he is gone his memory will not, his words will live forever.

"Any day you wake up, maybe you die." -Deni

"What a strange thing to say," Egwene said. "Why do they use it like that? Peace." "When you have never known a thing except to dream," Lan replied, feeling Mandarb forward, "it becomes more than a talisman." -al'Lan Mandragoran and Egwene al'Vere

"Death is lighter than a feather, but Duty is heavier than a mountain." -al'Lan Mandragoran

"Should and would build no bridges." -Lini

"A flapping tongue has killed more men than sudden storms ever did." -Siuan Sanche

"We all have our limits. The thought slid up suprisingly from somewhere. And we set them further out than we have any right." - Rand al'Thor

"I will run no more." - Aviendha

"We are always more afraid than we wish to be, but we can always be braver than we expect." -Sorilea

"A man who trusts everyone is a fool, and a man who trusts no one is a fool. We are all fools, if we live long enough". -Lews Therin Telamon
"If a woman does need a hero, she needs him today, not tomorrow." - Egwene al'Vere

"'Lan told me once that Malkier lives so long as one man wears the hadori in pledge that he will fight the Shadow, so long as one woman wears the ki'sain in pledge that she will send her sons to fight the shadow. I wear the ki'sain, Master Aldragoran. My husband wears the hadori. So do you. Will Lan Mandragoran ride to the last battle alone?'" - Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran
"A beautiful battle is one you don't have to fight" - Mat Cauthon

I know I will never get tired of his work. I've read each book 3x and was going to go through em again after the bar. I made many friends through our common love of his books. We all grieve. May he find water and shade with the Lord. May the light Illumine him as he has us. His memory will live on, the story will continue...

I will find the song, or another will find the song, but the song will be sung this year or in a year to come. As it once was, so shall it be again, world without end.
-farewell among the Tuatha'an