Death always brings with it shock, waves of sadness, memories and a realization. I recently lost a member of my family, my aunt "tante Claire" (God rest her soul in peace) as I like to call her, and I still feel how real and recent her loss is. I remember how quickly the tears rolled one following the other, falling down swiftly and with no permission. I felt sad because I knew I wouldn't see her again. Memories crept into my head and I saw her in her different states; cooking, driving, smoking, visiting us, on the balcony of her house, inviting us to come up. Mostly, though, I remember her beautiful clear blue eyes, her big smile and her frizzy hair! How can I forget?
And then comes the realization that life is so short, that we might be next, that there is no time to waste, that we will never get to live our current moments again and that we must make the best of life!
We, Christians, celebrated Easter at the beginning of April and it was a reminder of our Faith and what we believe in. Jesus Christ has risen. Those were the words of the priest as well in yesterday's mass; which resonated clearly in my ears. His explanation was that God has risen, meaning that we will rise with Him. We believe in resurrection. This is our Hope.
Today is the memory of the Armenian Genocide that took place in 1915 under the hands of the Turks. I did not previously have much information on the historical occurances; however, with the world connected through social and conventional media, I couldn't but notice the attrocities that took place. The pictures portrayed are horrific; especially when we think that the people died through no warfare or battle; but innocently without even having the chance to defend themselves. No comment. No words justify what happened.
I was moved by the song that the French artist, Charles Aznavour, performed on this occasion and would like to share it with you. It is called: "Ils sont tombes" (They have fallen). Maybe we will be able to feel more human through music and the lyrics, which truly touch the soul.
Do not be sad; Rejoice; Christ has Risen!
Lyrics/ Paroles:
Ils sont tombés sans trop savoir pourquoi
Hommes, femmes et enfants qui ne voulaient que vivre
Avec des gestes lourds comme des hommes ivres
Mutilés, massacrés les yeux ouverts d'effroi
Ils sont tombés en invoquant leur Dieu
Au seuil de leur église ou le pas de leur porte
En troupeaux de désert titubant en cohorte
Terrassés par la soif, la faim, le fer, le feu
Nul n'éleva la voix dans un monde euphorique
Tandis que croupissait un peuple dans son sang
L' Europe découvrait le jazz et sa musique
Les plaintes de trompettes couvraient les cris d'enfants
Ils sont tombés pudiquement sans bruit
Par milliers, par millions, sans que le monde bouge
Devenant un instant minuscules fleurs rouges
Recouverts par un vent de sable et puis d'oubli
Ils sont tombés les yeux pleins de soleil
Comme un oiseau qu'en vol une balle fracasse
Pour mourir n'importe où et sans laisser de traces
Ignorés, oubliés dans leur dernier sommeil
Ils sont tombés en croyant ingénus
Que leurs enfants pourraient continuer leur enfance
Qu'un jour ils fouleraient des terres d'espérance
Dans des pays ouverts d'hommes aux mains tendues
Moi je suis de ce peuple qui dort sans sépulture
Qu'a choisi de mourir sans abdiquer sa foi
Qui n'a jamais baissé la tête sous l'injure
Qui survit malgré tout et qui ne se plaint pas
Ils sont tombés pour entrer dans la nuit
Éternelle des temps au bout de leur courage
La mort les a frappés sans demander leur âge
Puisqu'ils étaient fautifs d'être enfants d'Arménie
Rough translation to English:
They fell without knowing why
Men, women and children who wanted to live
With heavy gestures like drunken men
Mutilated, massacred their eyes open with fear
They fell by invoking their God
The threshold of their church or their doorstep
In herds of desert stumbling in cohort
Overcome by thirst, hunger, iron, fire
No one raised his voice in a world of euphoria
As a people languishing in his blood
Europe discovered jazz and music
Complaints of trumpets covered the children's cries
They fell modestly quietly
Thousands, millions, while the world moves
Becoming in an instant tiny red flowers
Covered by a sandstorm and then oblivion
They fell with their eyes full of sunshine
Like a bird in flight shot shatters
To die anywhere and without a trace
Ignored, forgotten in their last sleep
They fell in believing ingenuous
That their children could continue their childhood
One day they would trample the land of hope
In countries open to men of outstretched hands
I am one of the people, who lie sleeping unburied
Have chosen to die without renouncing their faith
Who has never ducked under the insult
Who still survive and do not complain
They fell in the night to enter
Eternal time to the extent of their courage
Death hit them without asking their age
Since they were at fault to be children of Armenia
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