THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF HEROISM

The whole family of Artsakh Hero Yura Alaverdyan was at home, the father,  Haykaram, the mother, Anna, the grandmother, Greta, Yura’s younger sister, who is named after her grandmother. From the youngest to the oldest, they sit on the couch, side by side, looking at me and trying to smile. They are kind of confused. They know that they must gather all their will and optimism and they must smile; they are the family of the hero. But there is a war on the borders of the homeland, and they are the closest relatives of a soldier who fought to the death before being a hero’s family. Hiding their anxiety and tension, they try to smile. To say with a smile that after Yura is on the battlefield and the enemy fires rockets at our armed forces and the peaceful population of Artsakh with desperate fury, we are sure that we will win. Whatever happens, we will win and Yura will return home in glory. They want to sum up all the faith in victory in that smile.

“I was in front of the TV when the President of the Artsakh Republic, Arayik Harutyunyan, started counting the names of the soldiers who received the title of Hero of Artsakh”, says Haykaram, “and Yura Alaverdyan. I shouted, everyone filled the room scared. Yura received the title of Hero of Artsakh, I said. Tears and joy were mixed.

“Who would have thought that our son would become a hero?” The mother begins and can not continue.

“I,” says Haykaram, “have always known that my son is brave.” When he was little, grandfather and grandson used to make friends, and grandfather always said, “Yura jan, the most terrible flaw of a man is cowardice, a cowardly man is useless, because fear brings with it many bad traits.” A person will lie out of fear, he will betray, he will crawl, fear will push every bad deed, you will not be afraid of anything. I said the same. I have said that the most important characteristic of a man is courage. The words man and brave are synonyms.

Anna nods.

“Yura was not a bully, but if you clung his friends’ hair, he would not tolerate it… My son always lived with someone else. Helping people was so common for Yura. They would call again, he would get up in silence and leave the house. We already guessed that they needed him somewhere.”

There is a smile and tears in Grandma Greta’s eyes.

“He is my only male grandson,” he says, putting her hand on her chest. “Both of my sons took part in the Artsakh war.” They were young boys when they went to the front. Even now my grandson is fighting for the Homeland. No matter how much I tell about Yura, there will be few, so kind, sensitive, respectful, caring, so responsible, conscientious. He was a lively, capable child. When he went to school, he could read, knew arithmetic, studied on his own. In general, Yura invested all his efforts in each case, he never held his head. And today nine enemy tanks և one armored vehicle hit my hero cherry.

There is a life in Grandma’s eyes that you can not describe in words: pride, joy, pain, anxiety …

“When is the war going to end?” she asks. She looks with such hope that her face looks like an icon.

“In two days,” I answer immediately and involuntarily.

“Glory to the Lord,” she murmurs, looking up at the sky.

Haykaram is smiling. The man who went through the Artsakh war understands very well that my “two days” were a gift to Grandma Greta, and changes the subject so that the grandmother does not ask new questions.

“Our army has developed real fast. During the swearing-in ceremony of Yura, we walked around the military unit. New, clean, with taste … The living conditions were wonderful. Then, during the service, the mother would ask if there was food, wouldn’t you be hungry, and Yura would tell me what good food was served in the military unit. I was also interested in human relationships. Yura was very pleased with the officers, saying that they respected the soldier, and from the lieutenant to the colonel, they were very attentive to the soldier. They are like a father, an elder brother. And now that brotherhood is on the battlefield. Love multiplies human strength a thousandfold. If you only think about saving your life on the battlefield, you will either lose or you will not save your life. And our people think about saving each other’s lives and keeping the Homeland while fighting, that is why they are invincible.

I want to say that I heard “one wonderful formula” in these days of our invincibility, but I do not have time, because Mrs. Anna shows her son a military photo and says:

“Yesterday he called and I said, Hello, my hero son.’ He said, what have I done … I am just going to do real heroism.

I look at the smiling soldier in the photo. He is a handsome boy, straight, with noble features, will and courage, strength and dignity embossed on his face.

” My hero Yura,” the mother presses the photo to her heart.

“Our hero Yura,” I say.

“My brother is the best brother in the world,” Greta gives her mother time to swallow her tears. I have a brother who defends the Homeland like a hero.

“Well, stay strong. If Yura returns victorious, we will talk again. I say goodbye to the hero’s family.”

“In two days?” Grandma asks.

I nod.

By GAYANE POGHOSYAN

Photos by AREG VARDANYAN