The Black Tower stands with the Lion of Andor." -Logain

Yes, I'm alive," Mat said. "I'm usually pretty good at staying alive. I've only failed one time that I can remember, and it hardly counts.

Two hands. One to destroy, the other to save. Which had he lost?

He was swimming in a sea of other people’s expectations. Men had drowned in seas like that.

You will serve the Cyrstal Throne well. It would be a shame to see you assassinated too early. I will make certain that the first I send after you are newly trained, so that you may stop them with ease." -General Galgan to Mat

And yet many of us do it without families," Nynaeve said. "Without love, without passion beyond our own particular interests. So even while we try to guide the world, we separate ourselves from it.We risk arrogance, Egwene. We always assume we know best, but risk making ourselves unable to fathom the people we claim to serve.

There's no time for winking at the men when you're busy bailing the boat.