Many were disappointed. Incredibly disappointed.

We all listened with great anticipation… will he do it? Will he hold true to his promise?

But, the President did not use the word Genocide in his speech on April 24th, 2009 to refer to the horrific massacres and mass deportation that Armenians suffered in 1915…

Honestly, I wasn’t all that surprised that he avoided the “G” word… it was a carefully crafted speech, oh, so carefully crafted… and one that infuriated Armenians and non-Armenians everywhere…

And here is what I know: we will continue to persevere.

My heart breaks for my countless friends who believed with fervor in the change and hope that was offered to them by a man, a human… so many people have been swept away by the slogans… and I love to see a country come together and I love to see people get excited about their country… and I will respect the person who holds the office of president… but, I will not depend on a human to give me change and hope…

The hope I have is rooted in something far greater than the promises of a human… and I rest in that Hope. And that Hope gives me great joy and allows me to sing when I wake up in the morning. That Hope gives me an amazing sense of peace about my future…

My husband reminded me again last night why I sing Armenian folk songs … you are telling the story of our ancestors, he said… you are singing for your grandmother and all she lived through… you are singing her songs and telling her story…

And my grandmother had that Hope. She had that Hope.

Yes.

Tags: Armenian folk songs, Armenian Genocide, change, grandmother, hope, singing