Many of us celebrated Easter this past Sunday from the comfort of our homes. For the Kalebjian family, Easter has an additional reason for celebration: my father's name.
Many of you know my father as Henry. While that's his legal name, his given name is Harout (pronounced "Hah-root"). With most Armenian names, there is a meaning or a connection to our heritage. For example, my name Hrag means "eyes of fire", the Armenian word "hoor" meaning fire and "awg" meaning eyes. I know, how cool is that?
The name Harout is short for "Harootyoon," which means resurrection in Armenian and refers to Jesus' resurrection. It is an Armenian tradition to say "may you live by your name" on Easter Sunday to anybody named Harout. In doing so, you are honoring the person who has been given this name and the meaning behind it.
My mother typically hosts Easter dinner with the entire family, which is a great way for us to spend time together. This year we didn't have that opportunity, so instead we gathered in my sister's backyard. Although it wasn't the same, it was nice to see each other briefly, even from six feet apart.
As we all continue to shelter in place and learn to adjust, we are also having to change the way we interact and engage with each other. I wanted to share this tidbit about my father as a small way for us to stay connected. While many of you aren't able to come by the shop and hang out with Henry (Harout), please know that he is safe, healthy, and looking forward to getting back to work.
