Dear Rick Riordan...
Thank you.
Thank you for introducing me to Percy Jackson, to Annabeth Chase, to Grover Underwood.
To weapons, to magic, to quests.
To Chiron, to Camp Half-Blood, to Olympus.
Thank you for introducing me to Tyson, to mythology, to resolution.
To Nico Di'Angelo, Thalia I-don't-have-a-last-name, to Zoe Nightshade.
To the mysterious Labyrinth, to Calypso, to ingenuity.
To heroes, who saved the world against all odds.
Thank you for introducing me to Jason Grace, to Piper McLean, to Flaming Leo Valdez.
To Hazel Levesque, to Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, to Frank Zhang.
Thank you for introducing me to Camp Jupiter.
Thank you for introducing me to Bob and Demison, to the deepest darkness, and how there is always a way to fight it.
Thank you for introducing the me to sacrifice, selflessness, loyalty, and honor.
Thank you for making characters I can relate to.
Thank you for making me want to flip to the next page to see if the heroes win.
I grew up with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, then the Heroes of Olympus. I want to thank you for the impact it has made on my life.
From the moment I opened the book, I was whisked away to a world of magic and gods. It captivated me and sparked my imagination.
You taught me that bravery comes in all forms, that everyone has a part to play.
You taught me strength is on the inside, and true strength is lending it to others.
You taught me brain beats brawn, and wisdom is stronger than strength.
You taught me that words have power, and can can change the tides of a war.
You taught me that sometimes we are greeted with unexpected heroes that leave a great impact on us.
You taught me that everything works out in the end, that the world is like a machine.
You taught me that true power comes from seeing all points of view, and being flexible.
You taught me that when brother and sister in all but blood bare arms, and work together, they will defeat any foe in there path.
You taught me that there is darkness in everyone, and to not look down when it comes out.
But most important thing that you taught me is that there is a hero in all of us.
You made a community were people of all races, sex, religion, ages feel excepted.
You made a world that feels so real that we can almost see and hear them.
Thank you for sharing your imaginations and visions with us.
Thank you for bringing us along though every chapter and plot twist.
You brought us together whether in class, on long rides, in morning and night, in a library, a noise restaurant, a cold winter day, or a hot summer day.
Engrossed in the books we entered a new universe of heroes and villains, away from reality and the real world.
The books have inspired me, taught me, made me fall in love with them, book by book, one word at a time.
Thank you for showing me places where normal people don't exist.
I've meet amazing people, seen beautiful art, and read countless fanfictions because of these books.
We can read you books millions of ties yet still get lost in the story, fall in love with charters, shed tears at their deaths, laugh at the jokes, yet I will never get bored with reading them.
So thank you Rick for creating this community, the books, and characters.
