Catie Lucas
Commemorative Speech
November 6, 2012
The Soul of Lehman Hot Springs
A smile happens in a flash, but its memory lasts a lifetime. Where I grew up I
was blessed with many smiles that have given me multiple happy memories. I grew
up on a piece of land called Lehman Hot Springs. Located in eastern Oregon, Lehman
is surrounded by two million acres of national forest. Although Lehman is blessed
with the natural beauty of a forested area of the Blue Mountains, it is mostly
recognized for its natural hot spring water. My parents purchased Lehman Hot
Springs just before I was born and decided to open the land to the public so that
families and friends could come and enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility of the
land and hot springs. People came to Lehman to get away from the chaos of life and
relax in the natural hot springs pools and enjoy the serene beauty that Lehman has
to offer. Of the many virtues Lehman Hot springs encompasses, the two most
recognized are acceptance and unity.
Not too long after purchasing Lehman, my dad found himself unable to sleep
one night. He decided to go out for a midnight soak in the natural hot springs water
to help him relax and go back to bed. However, on his way out to the pool, he was
not alone. Ten feet away from him was a big black bear staring right at him. Both the
bear and my dad froze in fear. My dad was careful not to make any sudden
movements and the bear seemed to do the same. As the bear and my Dad stared at
each other for several minutes my dad feared for the worst. To his surprise,
however, the bear just walked away. It was as if the land and its creatures had
accepted my dad and his family’s presence on the land. We encountered many
animals and creatures while living at Lehman Hot Springs, but they never seemed
interested in hurting us. Lehman’s soul’s acceptance of our family and its visitors
allowed everyone to live in peace. It’s that peace that encouraged people to come
back and visit Lehman to get away from the fast paced life they live.
Some visitors of Lehman I remember vividly were a group of people from
Russia that came every year around Christmas. They came to Lehman Hot Springs to
enjoy the natural hot springs and peaceful setting. I remember all of us sitting out in
the pool with the Russians. It was a beautiful night with all the stunning stars above
us. Snow was all around the pools but the heat of the natural pools kept us warm.
Everyone out in the pools felt at peace and relaxed. Suddenly, the group of Russians
began to sing Christmas carols. Their voices echoed off the pools so everyone could
listen to their joyfully composed songs. It was probably the most beautiful singing I
have ever heard. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with happiness and peace. It
was amazing, I thought, that everyone in that pool was so vastly different but we
could still be brought together to share this wonderful place and create these
sublime memories. Lehman had that power, to bring people from around the world
together. No matter the visitor’s different races, nationalities, and beliefs, Lehman
had the power to create unity amongst its visitors.
Lehman was not known just for its indescribable beauty and serene setting.
Lehman was also known for the effect it could have on people and their memories.
When my mother and father first bought the place, they went for a walk out in the
woods. They were debating making it private or public. My dad wanted to make it
private because he knew how much work that was going to have to go into it. But
my mom argued no, Lehman has to be kept open to the public. She knew that this
land shouldn’t be hid from people. Lehman was wild and untamable but the affect it
had on people was something that needed to be shared. And besides, my mom said,
Lehman really is not our land; we are just its caretakers for now. Lehman was its
own being that accepted its visitors and created unity amongst both families and
strangers around the world. Growing up at Lehman, I felt I grew a sort of bond with
the land. It was as though Lehman was a part of our family, fully accepting us and
bringing us together. Three years ago, when my parents were forced to sell Lehman,
it felt as if we had lost a family member. I cried as if someone had died. We had lost
the family member that brought us so many wonderful memories. But then again,
Lehman really was never ours. We were just its caretakers in one of Lehman’s many
chapters of life.