“Today is a sad day.” That’s what my husband said to me when I woke up this morning. He’d been up for about an hour and had already heard the news. He knew it would be hard for me to hear so he wanted to tell me before I saw it on social media or some bubbly newscaster pretending to be sad as they read the prompter.

When my husband said, “David Bowie died last night,” I just stood there, my mouth hanging open like and idiot and stared at him. After a few moments all I could say was, “No.”

No. Not David. Not Ziggy. Not Jareth.

Can’t be.

He couldn’t have died.

I was just wearing my new “I move the stars for no one” shirt, so happy and proud to show my love for the man, the legend.

Celebrity deaths are just as sad as any death, but some celebrities are more important to a “regular” person than others. David Bowie is – was important to me.

I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love David Bowie. I was just three years old when The Labyrinth was released (I tweeted earlier that it had come out the year of my birth, a mistake, probably due to the fact that I can’t remember it not being my favorite movie). I still have my Sir Didymus doll. Jareth the Goblin King formed my love of David Bowie and all misunderstood villains. I even carved his likeness in a pumpkin for Halloween last year because I am that big of a fangirl for this man. To this day, a good villain, a heart-broken misfit, the one who is just trying, will get me.

There is so much I want to say about this amazing man but I don’t think I have the words. He inspired me as a writer and he always will. I’ll be sad the next time I watch The Labyrinth (which will probably be later today). I am sad as I sit here listening to his music, grateful he managed to give us one last gift in his new record. But I am happy that I was alive when he was. I am happy that he’s been an influence for me.

We love you David, Ziggy, Jareth. We miss you already.

It’s only forever… Not that long at all.