By Sevan Eye
The bitter cold frosted our faces as we struggled up the stairs to the church at Lake Sevan. Blood pumping and muscles straining, I followed the band of my classmates up the mountainous terrain. As we passed small souvenir stands, we eventually made it to the top. A small moment in time was slowed as I turned to glance at the mystical body of water spread out behind me, only to have my breath knocked out of me.
My frozen fingers and frostbitten nose thawed out as a shiver shook my body. The most picturesque scene lay in front of me: a layer of cotton clouds hanging over a vast, enchanting lake with scenic mountains hovering in the backdrop. A thin layer of fog cloaking the lake.
The cold rose again and filled my body with an overwhelming chill, despite the short respite from the frost provided by a quick soul-altering realization. Here I was, staring at my namesake, at my source, the beautiful body of water that filled my heart with warmth and my lungs with ice. I could see the significance in the air around me as it filled the atmosphere. I felt suddenly complete. In my breath-taking homeland, lay my foundation. I feel honored and doubly thankful to have had the opportunity to see it.
